Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-01-10
THE PERIL OF MADAME.


"Call me madame" replied n beauti-
full woman. with face of classic pro-
file, surveying the almost frenzied
pasha with a cold contempt which ag-
gravated both his fury and his desire.
II have already told you. pasha, that
decline to share your affections with
the 80 or more estimable ladies' of your
harem."
"Thcn you have been playing with
me. madame" growled the pasha. "You
have led me to think you were not in
different to me. And here, in Illutza,
am master, and you shall not leave H.
lutza except to become my wife" Here
he took a stride toward her as if he
would seize her there and then and
carry her off.
Take care!' She spoke in low,
clear, unmoved tone. "a step nearer.
and you are dead man. | carry re-
volver | can hit the ace of hearts at
20 yards. My nerve is good; my hand
is steady. Any violence, and the next
second Amantor Pasha is a corpse"
He stood stock still. Her GOODNESS
Gained him, conquered his rage, but
| lnflamed his admiration.
"As the English say. you are cool
| hand" he remarked. To himself he
/ thought: IL will have her now at all
costs. What bride for pasha! What
nerve! What n resource! With her,
who knows, | might be grand vlzier-
sultan even"
! And he was perhaps not far wrong.
Madame was of many shifts. 1t was
she who in the great South African
war had been spy of fame. Courted
by the highly placed and susceptible in
the British camp in various parts of
! South Africa, she had kept Paul Kru-
ger and Cronje and Christian De Wet
and Erasmus Informed of all that was
doing in the English army. Her ma
tionality was a matter of guesswork
Some said she was French. others Rus
sian. but she was known as Madame"
par excellence.
II will take my leave now, madame"
said the pasha, drawing his handsome
form up to its full height, but you
shall marry me-"
"A very good morning to your excel
:, y
hooking nod, but | shall not marry
you"
The pasha withdrew, with never a
word more. and two minutes later
there was a clatter of horses on the
roadway as he and his staff galloped
off up the little street.
Bah" murmured Sophronia as she
Z nanpq1 ont a him fbrnnuh tho 10 lou-
sizes Not bad looking man either
and sits his horse we'll" Turning
from the window, Sophronia Valoffsky
contemplated her face and figure in q
huge mirror which stretched from floor
to ceiling on one side of the apartment,
and then. snatchng up leather head
ed baton. she struck smartly n large
gong. II was almost Immediately an
swered.
Bring me my hooded fur cloak at
once, Iona" said madame. land cloak
yourself as well. for | shall want you"
Madame went to sdeboard and
poured herself out liqueur. while she
Iii the daintiest of dainty cigarettes.
She had not blown half dozen whiffs
of smoke when Iona returned and
quickly enveloped her mistress in the
warm cloak.
"Skavatz is to be found today, Lo-
ha?"
yes. gracious mistress; at the yell
low khan in the lower town"
Then conduct me there. No time is
to be lost My liberty is threatened,
Iona. and may be gone from me at
any moment" As she spoke Nine. Va
loffsky stepped toward the jalousie.
Hist. Lona There is a body of Turk
lsh soldiers coming down the hill es-
corting closed carriage. Bolt and
bGrricade the front door while run by
the back"
Iona, having done her work, rushed
after her mistress. She knew the Mac
adonian town thoroughly and led ma
dame by devious and intricate turnings
TO battle pursuit. Besides. the twilight
had begun to deepen, and rain was
falling and threatening to fall heavily.
At last they reached the lower town,
and. again pursuing windings seeming
ly interminable they at last passed W
a narrow passage to where, underneath
an ancient Roman wall, a bright ligh
issued forth from large interior.
The khan-the yellow khan" whis
pered Iona beneath her breath. Nine
Valoffsky sighed Il sigh of relief, ant
her gait assumed its wonted undulatins
grace as she stepped forward TOWARD
the open front of the khan or rude inn.
A number of men in the garb OF thu
Macedonian mountaineer were sitting
With. carousing out of drinking
horns, testing and laughing loudly. 4
dead silence fell on them all as Sophro
mia Valoffsky stepped forward anC
stood calmly facing them, dream o
beauty - so she seemed to those stall
! wart fellows - while Iona quietly, a
became the waiting woman, took he
place little to the left of madame.
"Where is Sklavatz?' said madame
with clear, bell-like, penetrating voice.
"Sklavatz your excellency! He il
within" said one of the men. "Skla
| vatZ! SklavatZ"
I Instantly tall, handsome, splendid.
made Macedonian stepped from the in
terror of the khan and raised his ha
: high in a not ungraceful salute.
"At your service, gracious lady" sal,
he. pray. what are your commands?
Sophronia then drew from the fold
of her dress a small leather letter hold
) err, from which she took document