Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

— == | ‘THE THREE HOSTAGES. ‘made friends with her, and I talk to her and I have attached her to me just a little, like a dog. That will give me a chance to do the rest quickly when the moment comes. You cannot bring back a vanished soul all at once unless you have laid some founda- tion. We have to be very, very careful, for she is keenly watched, but I think—yes, I am sure—it is going well.” “Oh, bravo!” I cried. ‘* That makes Number Two. I may tell you that I have got Number One.” I gave her a short account of my doings in Norway. ‘‘ Two of the poor devils will get out.of the cage anyhow. I wonder if it wouldn’t be possible to pass a word to Victor and the duke. It would relieve their anxiety.” “T thought of that,” she replied, “ but Colonel Arbuthnot says no, on no account. He says it might ruin everything. He takes a very solemn view of the affair, you know. And so do I. I have seen Mr. Medina.” “Where?” I asked in astonishment. “T got Aunt Doria to take me to a party where he was to be present. Oh, don’t be worried. I wasn’t introduced to him, and he never heard my name. But I watched him and, knowing what I did, I was more afraid than I have ever been in my life. He is extraordinarily attractive— no, not attractive—seductive, and he is as cold and hard as chilled steel. You know those im- pressions I get of people which I can’t ex- plain—you say they are always right. Well, I felt him almost superhuman. He exhales ease and power like a god, but it is a god from a lost world. I can see that like a god, too, it is souls that he covets. Ordin- ary human badness seems decent in com- parison with that Lucifer’s pride of his. I think, if I ever could commit murder, it _ would be his life I would take. I should feel like Charlotte Corday—oh, I am dis- mally afraid of him.” “Tm not,” I said stoutly, “and I see him at closer quarters than most people.” The measure of success we had attained was beginning to make me confident. “Colonel Arbuthnot is afraid for you,” she said. ‘“ The two times I have seen him in London he kept harping on the need of your keeping very near to him. I think * 725 he meant me to tell you. He says that when you are fighting a man with a long- range weapon the only chance is to hug him. Dick, didn’t you tell me that Mr. Medina suggested that you should stay in his house? I have been thinking a lot about that, and I believe it would be the safest plan. Once he saw you*secure in his pocket he might forget about you.” “It would be most infernall, awkward, for I should have no freedom of movement. But all the same, I believe you are right. Things may grow very hectic as we get near the day.” “Besides, you might find out something about Number Three. Oh, Dick, it is the little boy that breaks my heart. The others might escape on their own account—some- day, but unless we find dim he is lost for- ever. And Colonel Arbuthnot says that, even if we found him, it might be hard to restore the child’s mind. Unless—unless—” Mary’s face had become grim, if one could use the word of a thing so soft and gentle. Her hands were tightly clasped, and her eyes had a strained far-away look. “T am going to find him,” she cried. “Listen, Dick. That man despises women and rules them out of his life, except in so far as he can make tools of them. But there is one woman who is going to stop at nothing to beat him. When I think of that little David, I grow mad and desperate. I am afraid of myself. Have you no hope te give me?” “‘T haven’t the shadow of a clew,” I said dolefully. ‘“ Has Sandy none?” She shook her head. ‘“ He is so small, the little fellow, and so easy to hide.” “If I were in Central Africa, I should get Medina by the throat, and peg him down and torture him till he disgorged.” Again she shook her head. ‘“ Those prim- itive methods are useless here. He would laugh at you, for he isn’t a coward—at least I think not. Besides, he is certain to be magnificently guarded. And for the rest, he has the entrenchments of his reputation and popularity, and a quicker brain than any of us. Hecan put a spell of blindness on the world—on all men and nearly all women,” The arrival of Miss Wymondham made Lt CORMICG OOOKSsEO i 4 Ne, ad aw | : , tal alu ol a]