Adventure Magazine Cover — page 155: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Road acknowledgment, strolled slowly away at Agnew’s right hand. She looked up at him as they passed out of earshot of the veranda. “I have heard various rumors, signor,”’ she said. ‘‘What ‘are the rights of this affair?” “There are no rights—only wrongs, sig- norina,’ he smiled. ‘For reasons best known to himself, some knave, ambushed in the rushes, flung a knife at me last night. In protecting me the lady we have just left received a hurt herself. She saved my life in all probability.” She frowned. ‘‘Who attacked you, and why?” she asked moodily. He shrugged his shoulders. ‘‘Those are questions to which an answer is lacking as yet,” he said. “But this we know. There is a ceaseless conspiracy against the build- ing of this road and so against its builders. Mr. Gresham, Mr. Thring and I walk under a constant menace of assassination—so it seems.”’ - Her face changed. Her eyes grew won- dering—scared—wrathful. ‘“‘You?’’ she cried sharply. ‘‘They threaten you?” “Naturally. I represent all that they wish to destroy. Is that news to you?” ‘Yes!’ she said breathlessly. ‘‘I—I did not know.” Her agitation was marked— her hands trembled against her side. “Can’t you give it up?” she asked sud- denly. ‘Can’t you—come away?” He looked at her blankly. ‘‘Come?”’ he echoed. The color flamed into her cheeks. She met his glance with a sort of defiance. “I said—come!”’ she whispered. He halted. He smiled with deference, with tolerance—the smile one offers to an unreasoning child. “This thing has up- set you, signorina,” he said. “You must not dwell upon it. Believe me, I take all the precautions necessary. And I am well guarded.”’ ‘“Guarded!”? Her scorn was dramatic. “There is no guard can stand between you and—thai! Escape from it—while you can!”’ His stolidity increased as the note of her passion rose. And he smiled patronizingly, aggravatingly. ‘This place—the dreari- OII ness, the monotony—makes you fanciful, _signorina.”’ She laid her hand upon his arm with a passionate gesture. “I know!” she cried. “T tell you, I know!”’ He released himself with a bow. “Perhaps,” he agreed. ‘“‘And I, too, know. Some day we might see if our knowledge dovetails—if we share many secrets. It might be amusing.” She beat her hands together with a sud- den wrathful gesture. ‘“‘Don’t play with me!”’ she said. ‘Don’t speak to me as if I were a child! My knowledge? I could give you all you want—and more! I who laugh at your efforts to succeed without it!”’ He looked at her gravely. ‘Then I count you, too, among my enemies?”’ he asked. “I?” she wondered. ‘‘I—among your enemies? You know well that is not so!”’ “How can I think otherwise?” he sug- gested. “Your own mouth convicts you. You laugh at me and my efforts. My pride is to stand at my post here till my duty is done. And you laugh at me, Sig- norina. In your eyes I am something to be mocked and set aside!”’ She looked at him fiercely, resentfully. “You still play with me! You twist my words!”’ she declared. He drew back from her a pace, bowing. ““No, signorina. I see what our late in- timacy has led to. I have been your amuse- ment—your butt. I find the position a de- grading one. I beg to resign it. I have the felicity of wishing you a very good even- in. >] He lifted his hat, bowed yet more elabo- rately, and was gone. And Lucia stood, watching him depart, bewildered, tongue- tied, seeking as one in a maze for the en- trance in their conversation through which the sudden quarrel had entered. Her self- confidence? It was in the dust. | Mentally Agnew patted himself on the back as he walked down the embankment with rapid strides. Crudely done, he told himself, but, so far as his inexperienced eyes could judge, with effectiveness. Lucia ~ Gessi would not find his favor a gift any longer. It was merchandise, and the price was rising. TO BE CONTINUED COmiclbook CO