Adventure Magazine Cover — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

98 “You don’t need to understand. I never saw a man so cold—so—so—I don’t know what.” “That’s true enough. He’s cold-blooded as a frozen snake, and he never forgives an enemy. He’ll do anything, that fellow, to get a shot at somebody that’s stepped on his toes. You know,” he exclaimed with the manner of one who has a surprizing, new thought, “I b’lieve he came to San Francisco just to get Hurgronje!” “And everybody that’s with Hurgronje.” “But if I tell ’im that——” “You’ve promised you wouldn’t tell him. Don’t let him know that you know. Oh, I don’t trust that man. 4He’s dangerous. I’m terribly afraid of him, and that’s all there is to it.” _ Possibly, I say possibly, had it not been for the presence of Cantello behind the other curtain I might have stepped out and said something to reassure her. There was no doubt as to her fear; or, from her point of view, that she had good reason for it. But even at that I was not wholly un- suspicious of her. - “What the are we to dor’’ Lord Bob asked, very much troubled, and sitting down again. She dropped to her knees in front of him. She glanced about as if some subcon- scious sense were trying to warn her that eavesdroppers were in the room, or else because she was almost afraid to speak what she had in mind. She spoke in a whisper, a tense, imploring whisper. She hated Hurgronje, she said. But she was afraid of him. She had prayed, actually prayed, for the courage to kill him. She had even gone into the room where he was—to kill him. But she couldn’t. She simply couldn’t—though she felt that the only way she could make atonement to the men who had loved her and given her things that Hurgronje took away from her, was by He had used her as a lure. She spent all the money she could in dresses and furni- ture, in anything, because otherwise Hur- gronje would take that too. And then it seemed as if the devil, or somebody, had sent this Everhard. He was what people call a “killer,” and he hated Hurgronje. From what she had _ heard she gathered that Hurgronje had robbed a woman that this Everhard loved—— “Killed her,” said Lord Bob. Adventure > “Oh, my ——!” Zoronna exclaimed. Then she continued: — and in revenge Everhard had gone right into Hurgronje’s house, tried to shoot everybody, and had taken all Hurgronje’s gems. Then something had happened at Pittsburg—she didn’t know what. But Everhard was here, and they must use him to kill Hurgronje. “‘“Great Heavens!” said Lord Bob. ‘“‘With half a chance he’ll do that quick enough. Vl just tell him the facts in the case, and we'll all——” ‘“‘No—no—no! You mustn’t! Nothing on earth will make him believe that I didn’t try to trap him here last night. He would be suspicious. He wouldn’t trust me—or you either 4 That was good logic. trusted her. ‘— and we can’t fail this time, because it’s your life too, Lord Bob!” By that time Zoronna’s voice had grown above a whisper. She spoke tensely, and the last words came in a subdued cry. Lord Bob leaned forward; he seized her by the shoulders and his eyes were bright with resolution. “I’ll do it myself—myself. J will kill Hurgronje.” Her protest was instantaneous and fran- tic. Oh, he must not think of it; he must not try it! Hurgronje was guarded like a king from anarchists. He had a _half- dozen murderous men on watch, night and day. Let Everhard run the risk. “I’m going to Hurgronje,” she went on. “T’m afraid to stay here—afraid of that Everhard. He might come some time. Besides, for some reason or other’ Hur- gronje has told me to move into his new house. I’ll find some way to get Everhard into it—and to Hurgronje. He may not get out, but he will kill Hurgronje.”’ Lord Bob sat back, his eyes shut tightly, and shaking his head. No, no never! He couldn’t do that. That would be treacherous to Everhard. “You don’t know what a friend he is when he is a friend,”’ said Lord Bob. ‘“‘All —— can’t stop ’im, Zoronna. You saw those stories in the papers when they thought he was dead—they were true. He’s like that. I can’t double-cross him. “Listen, Zoronna; you get me into Hur- gronje’s house, an’ [ll take a chance on gettin’ out.” “You’d never get out alive. I would not have No man CONNIE DOOMS aE)