Adventure, December 1914 — page 206: what you’re looking at

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

204 “Honestly, now, didn’t you stage all this business yourself?”’ I replied. As a matter of fact, her presence here at such a time had stirred my curiosity far more than the reasons behind the attempt upon my life. ; ; “You talk like a schoolboy sometimes,”’ she answered curtly. ‘‘No, I did not. As I told you once before, I don’t fight this way. Have I ever given you cause not to believe me?” “Not exactly. But you must admit that these adventures of mine always seem to connect in some way with your charming self, Countess.” ‘“‘That’s as may be,” she returned. ‘To a certain extent I’ve been responsible for what has happened in the past. For that I’m sorry, as you know. But this time you have yourself to thank for what has hap- pened.” ‘‘Now what do you mean by that?” She fairly spat out a French ejaculation of impatience, a trick she had which always made me suspect her ancestry was not Aus- trian. , “Did you never hear of a man named Gortcheff?’? she demanded. ‘Well, you made the great mistake of not killing Gort- cheff when you had a fair chance. Now, Gortcheff has made up his mind to kill you at the earliest opportunity. “T was walking through the Public Gar- dens some time ago and I saw you pass. Just as you turned out of the gate a group of men slunk after you. I thought they looked suspicious, and when they followed you into the old quarter I trailed them. I was a fool to do it because you will only ac- cuse me of spying on you, where you would get down on your knees to thank another woman.” There was no anger in her voice as she said these last words, only an intense bit- terness. A hint of starshine had sifted into the middle of the square where we stood, and by its dim light I saw the woman’s face. She had nothing of the siren about her in this moment—only a kind of hurt, bewil- dered expression that makes all women look alike. JI forgot poor little Bobbie Cart- wright and other stories as bad; I forgot the _ Orient Express, the ball at the British Min- istry, the months I spent in Hilmi Bagtchi. “Look here,’”’ I said abruptly. ‘‘You are wrong. I’m not that much of a rotter. You’ve saved my life and I appreciate it. Adventure We’re on opposite sides, and your friends aren’t my friends; but———- Will you shake hands? This is the second distinct favor you’ve done me, and I fancy I’ll have to cross off the times you tried to double cross me. That’s fair, isn’t it?” She gave me her hand limply. I think she was surprised. |At any rate she gulped audibly. ‘“Th—thank you,” was all she said. “And now I think we had better be dust- ing out of here,” I went on. “This is no place to stay in any longer than one has to.”’ It sounds preposterously funny, of course, but I escorted her quite ceremoniously to the side gate of the Austrian Ministry—the side gate was her idea, and really a delicate thought. “T know you are not afraid of being seen with me,” she remarked. “But it will save you from making explanations to your friends.” ‘Shall I see you again, Countess?” I asked as I bade her good night. “T shall probably be here some time,”’ she answered quietly. “Humph! Have you another big job one” She laughed mockingly in her old way. “Do you still think you have beaten Austria? Why, we haven’t shown our trump cards yet.” Then before I could answer she came a step nearer and caught me by the lapel of my coat. ‘‘Watch Gortcheff,’”’ she whispered insist- ently. ‘‘Be on your guard all the time. Be careful on your way home tonight. Make your friends take better care of you. I can’t look after you all the time. I’m not paid for that.” With a bitter laugh she swung on her heel and entered the gate. The rest of that eve- ning I spent trying to determine what makes the difference between a good wom- an and a bad woman, if we accept the usual arbitrary social classifications. CHAPTER XX I BEARD THE CZAR “ AND so you walked back with her?” said Masoya. *““Ves,”’ I answered sheepishly. Without actually saying anything to that effect Masoya managed to convey to me comiclboool CO