The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-05-19
"TheU afraid"
Copyrighted.
This Is one of The Times
Novel-a- Week
series.
II will be finished in six
big installments.

s>~>>.>>>>>>>>>
some man or men in which the
dream lives; perhaps some who
work for it; certainly many who
would die for it,"
Her pulses leaped with O thrill
of conviction.
'You are one of them!" she d.
vined. You are one who works
That is what you fear, the death
of that dream. That Is what you
feared my money would do"
Yes" he confirmed the haz-
ard.
Delight glimpsed at last her
companions lofty ambition, that
dared grip the map of Eastern
Europe and crumple another en-
pire into ruin to make their own.
1t would be war;" she breath
ed. But. your Serb countries
are so small, compared with your
enemy! Turkey is powerful,
enormous, rich!"
do you recall japan and Rus
STA, madame? There is no strength
in immensely II its core is rotted. 1"
You would win? Oh, | do be-
lieve it! And then, the new en-
pire! Who" she halted before a
new thought. "Who then would
rule the united people?"
If it comes for this generation,
there is one man fitted above all
rivals" he slowly answered.
You mean"
"Nikolas of Montenegro"
She had fancied he planned for
himself. She stood rebuked by
finding the man towering above
where she would have placed him
Near dawn, at the close of that
night, Delight started up. crying
out so sharply that Irenya sprang
from her own bed in the next
room, running to her mistress.
What is It? Countess Delice,
what is it? Are you then ill?"
Trembling and shaken, Delight
chung to the girl, gazing with wide
dark eyes into the shadows of the
room beyond.
Someone is out there" she
painted. Give me something to
wear; take one of my gowns,
yourself, and we will see. Light
the lamps. No: bring the tall
one. Out here"
But the blue room was empty
when the two girls crossed the
threshold. Irenya set the lamp on
a table and lighted another.
See?" she smiled. There is
nothing"
Delight seized her companion g
arm, as she would have gone for
ward.
"Wait-they are on the bal
cony!"~
In fact, the long window open
ing on the balcony was swinging
back.
Delight" greeted the visitor,
and entered with the assured
bearing of one consciously well
come. 1T is only l, belle annie.
Why, you are not afraid of me?"
This time it was lrenya who
cried out in wonder and indigna-
ton. Delight uttered no sound,
but there was meaning in her
attitude which halted Michael
Balsic's advance.
"A warm greeting to your
chosen husband" Michael COM
mented.
What do you want of me?"
Delight demanded at last.
What? want yourself; the
woman who came here to be my
wife. l am leaving this country
tomorrow. | do not ask you to
60 with me. But will you follow
and join me in your own land?
In New York we will meet and
have this marriage undone to
make way for her own. We will
never come here, never see these
people we both hate-what are
their petty outcries to us? Are
you content to Gomez"
NO" she said.
"You refuse?'
1--WE are too different; there is
too much between us. | am sor-
ry. Forgive me, and find another
wife who does not know your peo.
ple."
He moved swiftly and caught
her wrists in his angry grasp.
Say, rather, that you have a
new sweetheart. Who is 1t -
Stefan or Danilo?"
LET me co." Delight painted
in anger equal to his. do not
touch me. If Irenya opens thai
door and calls, his men will kill
you as they did the Albanian"
His men!' 1t is Stefan
them"
But Michael read his defeat in
the clear, steady eyes. Mockery
flashed up in his expression
across modification he drew the
cloak Of light indifference.
"All my compliments, Madame
de Balsic! / take no grudged
kisses. I have never lacked
others. Goodnight"
CHAPTER XII.