Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 2, 1922 — page 148: what you’re looking at

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

618 from end to end of Saxon England. Here was the woman who had been his own from time immemorial, he felt. “Mlle. Marianne,” he said, “‘ you are free. We are twenty miles from Port Franklin, on Lake Champlain, and from there I shall take you by boat to Canada. Most certainly I should free any woman whom I found in your situation. The eas- iest way was to buy you, as I did, for Snarg would have been capable of killing you if he had thought there was danger from the officers of the law. All that, how- ever, is nothing. What concerns me great- ly is that I have loved you from the mo- ment when I looked into that room and saw you at your prayers.” “ Dieu Seigneur!’ she cried. ‘‘ Is all the world gone mad? First that drunken cap- tain steals me! Then a tall, dark gentle- man, also very drunk, asks me to marry him! Then the fat man sells me as a slave! Now you, monsieur, say that you love me! What kind of love is it, mon- sieur, that speaks so quickly?” “Tt is an honorable love, mademoiselle. It carries with it my name and fortune. I shall ask you to marry me. I do now.” “Utterly mad!” she exclaimed. ‘“‘ Do you know what you are saying? This is a serious thing—marriage! Or do you mock me? Are you no better than those others? I do not love you! I will not marry you! Oh, mon Dieu!” “ Pardon!” said Warriner grimly. ‘‘ You think I am mad—and perhaps you are right. You do not trust me. Parbleu! Because I have asked you to be my wife you do not trust me.” He reached above the marble mantel- piece and took down from the wall a long dagger with a hilt of rough and very old workmanship. He dropped it point down- ward so that it quivered in the polished boards at her feet. “There is true steel, mademoiselle. It was carried by a Crusader, one of my an- cestors. Tradition says that it will fight only in a holy cause. ‘Take it, and if I do not take you safely home as I have prom- ised, use it on me!”’ Warriner thought bitterly that he had made a fool of himself, and was. still - ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. making a fool of himself. Rash, as always, plunging to the undoimg of his own happi- ness. He watched her take the dagger and lay it in her lap, shaking her head. “TI do believe that you will take me home, monsieur, for you have a good heart. But while I am in this part of the world where all men are insane I shall keep it for protection.” “You will want to go to your room,” said Warriner quietly now. ‘“ Come made- motselle. 1 will call my housekeeper.” He held the door open, She rose. In ten minutes she had been made comfortable in the best of the guest chambers, and Warriner was alone in his library strug- gling to get a grip upon the most difficult situation he had ever faced. He cursed himself for his crashing haste. He would send to Port Franklin and find out the time of the first boat north. He was in honor bound to take her on that boat, but he was determined to make the most of every moment with her that was his. The next morning John Peter Warriner paced the drawing-room, waiting for her to appear. Already he had sent one stable boy with an armful of fresh cut roses to her room and another to Port Franklin for information. He turned and bowed as she entered, and his heart sank as he saw that she did not wear one of his flowers. She had brought the dagger. “I do not need this, monsieur,” she said, after she had replied to his greeting. She placed it upon a little table. ‘“‘ We were both, I think, quite foolishly excited last night.” “T am of the same mind, Mile. Mari- anne,” said Warriner; “‘ but—I have sent to find out about your boat—”’ He broke off at 1a sudden look of terror upon her face. Toby Snarg was standing in the doorway. Warriner saw red, and for a moment was speechless with rage. “You!” he cried. ‘‘ How dare you come into my house like that?” “Now, Mr. Warriner,” expostulated Snarg uneasily. ‘‘ I didn’t see nobody, and I’m in a mighty big hurry—a mighty big hurry!” “Oh!” Warriner managed to control himself. He walked to a desk and counted CommicoookxS Conn