The Washington times., 1911-04-23
THE TIMES DAILY SERIAL STORY
Milady of the Mercenaries
BY LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
Copyright The Frank A. Munsey Company.

dictate conditions, / believe al
though-ah. would l did not have
to-"
but if you would be so coed as to
give me some inkling of their ma
Iture--
"There are two. The first, that you
give UP all hope of his daughter-
What do you mean?" -,
That you-you-cease to love ner!'
She stumbled over the words as
though they were distasteful to her.
How did you know,
"Sencr. l have knowledge OF many
things"
well, I'll be-but your second?'
"rhat-that you-transfer your af-
fections, senor.' Her tone was low
and soft. She bent the fair head so
it may be, that she might not see his
| own.
You cannct guess?" The head bent
yet lower: then suddenly she raised 1t,
boldly challenging him. "But why
should 1 hesitate?' The words came
with rush. "Why should stick at a
scruple because 1t would be-unmaid-
| enly? She laughed bitterly. ''Senor
Curtice, it is myself whom you must
| love in the place Of Norahr'
You, madam"
| Yes! And why not? Am not good
/ to look upon? Or have men lied to me ?
. Tell me, am stupid, senior? Am l
/
heavily upon me that you should find
me repulsive? / am no pulling, convent
| bred girl, Curtice. You are a man
| through and through, and am fit mate
for you, am not? l am a woman of
the world, knowing good and for
| what they are. and-and-I love you!'
| She stopped suddenly, exhausted by
her vehemence, waiting his answer. For
a moment he sat stock still, in blank
amazement. Then, realizing that this
II Irao hot .6a a.
in earnest, he rose and began to pace
| the floor with his fands in his pockets.
| We'll, well?" she cried impatiently.
| He paused before her. making comi-
cal little twist of his mouth.
! You love me, madam In the stress
of the scene, they had dropped the
| Spanish, neither realizing 1t. You love
\ me? It's a trifie suddeni l have heard
of love at first sight, but this-well, you
meet me once, for the space of two
| minutes"
| And now / throw myself shamelessly
| at your feet! All, did you think that a
| love such as mine is born Of the passing
moment? Have not shown 1t from the
very first"
! "ft would seem So"
| From that first night" she pursued,
when you defied us In the cabin Of the
| ship. ! loved you then. But-but not as
love you now
| A light began to dawn upon him; but
yet he saw as in a glass, darkly..
| Dear, ] love you," she pleaded.
| More than she could. Did ] not,
would you be living now? What man
/ much less, what woman-would have
| taken that blow you gave me, and let
you live on?"
Then you were Arthur" he COM
mented slowly. Il begin to understand
| a great many things"
She clutched at his hand and carried
it to cheek superheated and moist
| with her tears. He was as yet half
! stunned by the revelation, and looked
| sive incredulity.
JIM Passion lent magic to her
| tones; her voicing of the monosyllable
was a marvellous caress; the soul of her
touched him. Answer me, Jim! An
swer me! 1 know can't come to you as
as you deserve, pure woman; but oh.
l love you, with the love that asks
| nothing. gives all. Answer me!'
He could not answer. The pure
thought OF his love for Norah had come
T, to him as breath OF cold air in the
heat of a furnace. He thought Of the
danger in which she lay through the
Vaccinations of this woman, and his
| face hardened. Watching him piteous-
| Iy. she saw the change.
You're not-he's not going toto say
no, You dare not! All, Jim, answer me,
dear! Tell me YOU love me. You must,
| you must Suddenly she slipped from
the chair and caught his knees in her
| arms. turning up to him her disordered
| face. tear-stained, fevered. See. dea
humiliate myself 10 you? See how
love you-judge me. and tell me-
Plying her as man must pity the
woman who gives him all that she may
and that is her heart-he had stopped
to raise her, striving to unclasp her
hands. Mistaking his intention. she had
strained up toward his lips. loosening
her hold upon him: then reading no hope
in his eyes, realizing that her labor had
been in vain, that the cup for which she
thirsted was not for her, she fell prone.
Instinctively he backed away, watch
ing her heaving shoulders as she lay
there in all her dazzling f1nery, sobbing
out this the final agony Of her impure,
bedizened, miserable life.
After a whiIe-the time seemed long
he felt a wall behind him and braced
himself against II, trembling. Some
strong emotion shook him, partaking OF
the nature of rage, and he could not
The room seemed dancing in haze of
light, whirling dizZily about that fallen
figure on the floor.
Presently, as he watched, she calmed
a hit, and began to rise. pushing her
shoulders from the floor as IL by the
main strength of her naked arms. She
sat for a space, silently mopping her
eyes with a shred of sodden lace that
might once have posed as a handker-
chief. The rouge and the powder came
off: dark streaks lay beneath her eyes,
where the cosmetic had washed; she
da bbed futfely at a face which in some
ten minutes had faded as many years.
Finally, with supreme effort. she
gained her feet
So" she said harshly, gasping be-
tween the commissions of the after-sobs,
80, Mr.. Curtice, you-you refuse me,
eh? You let me wallow at your feet, do
you, and-and have no pity for the de-
graded creature? The love offered you
was nothing, was 1t, that you should
shrink away from me? Did I frighten
you? Were you afraid that-that I
should do YOU an INJURY"
She waited to let him reply, but he
kept silence; the scene was wearing
upon him. - :
''I am not good enough for you, I
suppose? Speak up, man; / don't fear
the sound of,your voice"
believe me, madam" he said husk-
fly. "I do appreciate the honor which
you would do me, but"
But YOU don't think 1t an honor? Is
that it?'' she painted.
Curtice shrugged his shoulders help
lessly.
She steadied herself, leaning upon the
table. In the effort which she put
forth to compose herself, he could sec
the long muscles of her arms stand out
like steel sinews as they worked be-
meath the sleek pink of her satin skin:
and swelling appeared on either SIDE
Of hAy 90 IL rNv,.- A@I I>v- 70 a InnE