Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-22
THE NAN
ON THE BOX
By
HAROLD MAC GRATH
;. s,r-s eoees nfREtt Co

! the money shudderingly. as though he hat
| touched poisonous viper.
MY honor" he said simply. II had never
| expected to sell it so cheap.
There was pause. during which mel
| ther mans gaze swerved from the
! others. There was not the slightest
not even the remotest, fear of treachery
| each man knew with whom he was deal
| ing: yet there they stood, as II fascinated
| One would have thought that the colonel
| would have counted his money. or Karloff
his plans; they did neither. Perhaps the
! colonel wanted Karloff to touch the plans
| first before he touched the money; per-
| haps Karioff had the same desire, only the
| other way around.
| Tie colonel spoke
| II believe that is all he said. quietly.
| The knowledge that the deed was done
| and that there was no retreat gave back to
! him n particle of his former GOODNESS and
strength of mind 1t had Eeen the thought
| of committing the crime that had unnerved
| him. Now that his bridges were burned. a
strange. unnatural calm settled on him.
The count evidently was not done. He
moistened his lips. There was dryness in
| his threat.
at is not too late he said; Il have not
| yet touched them
I'VE shall not indulge in moralizing. if
you please" interrupted the colonel. with
savage irony. The moment for tlat has
gone by.
Very WELL Karlof's shoulders settled :;
his jaws became aggressively angular;
touched his face here and there. hardening
it. Il wish to speak in regard to your
daughter
Enough! Take my honor and be go2e.'
The colonel's voice was loud and rasping.
Karloff rested his hands on the table and
inclined his body toward the colonel.
Listen to me-" he began. There is in
every man the making and the capacity of
great rascal. Time and opportunity alone
are needed-and motive. The other night
tnrI hat II NOT rtxva ntrr
daughter. Well, / have not given her up.
| She must be my wife,
"Must?" The colonel cleached his hands.
Must. Tonight 1 am going to prove my
self great rascal-with great motive.
| What is Russia to me? Nothing. What is
your dishonor or my own? Less than moth
ing. There is only thing and that is
my love for your daughter" He struck the
table and the flame of the student lamp
rose violently. 'She must be mine mine,
l have tried to win her honorable
man tries to win the woman he loves: now
she must be won by an act of rascality.
Heaven nor hell shall force me to give her
up. Yes, l love her: and l lower myself to
your level to gain her.
ITO my level! Take care: 1 am still a
man, with a mans strength cried the
colonel
Karloff swept his hand across his fore
head. Il have lied to myself long enough
ard to you. | can see now that | have been
working solely toward one end. My coun-
try is not to be considered, neither is yours
Do you realize that you stand wholly and
completely in my power?" He ran Eis
tongue across his lips, which burned with
fever
What do you mean?'-hoarsely.
81 mean your daughter must become my
wife. or l shall notify your government that
you attempted to betray it,
You dshonorable wretch The colonel
balled his fists and protruded his neither
lip. Only the table stood between them.
That term or another, it does not mat
ter. The fact remains that you have sold
to me the fertilization plans of your coun-
try; and though it be in times of peace,
you are none the less guilty and culpable.
Your daughter shall be my Wife
Il had rather strangle her with these
hands"'-passonately
We'll, why should l not have her for my
wife? Who loves her more than l? / am
rich; from hour to hour, from day to day,
what shall not plan to make her happy?
! love her with all the fire and violence Of
any race and blood. L cannot help IT.