Adventure, December 1914 — page 98: what you’re looking at

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

96 reeling. Did she love Dick afterall? Didhe love her? This marvel of a man who could take a little string of gunboats and drive the Russian Caspian fleet off its own closed sea—could anybody help but love him? ‘‘She needs a chaperon,”’ said Dick. “Dick! What d’you mean?” Dick recognized the new note in her voice, and his own changed instantly. He was willing to reward a loyal servant, and to rescue the little maid from the Princess. He meant to doit. But he was in no mood for love-making with a murderess—with a political she-fiend who had used her power and secret sinful influence to trap him. “IT mean exactly what I say! Take your girl, Andry!’ - More amazed than even the Princess had been, Andry stepped forward and obeyed. “Come on!”’ Dick seized the Princess’ bridle-rein and started back toward where his own men waited. She tried to throw herself from the saddle, but he seized her round the waist; and since Andry’s girl would follow him without persuasion the giant left her, to stride beside the Princess’ horse. “You vixen!” Dick called her; and that was the hardest thing he had ever called a woman to her face. “You gave all your trumps away when you threw that knife at me! You'll come now to the mountains and protect your maid’s good name!” Adventure She did not answer. She was dumb with rage and fear. It had been one thing to want to run away with Dick when she loved him and her power was at its zenith; but it was another now to be carried off by him when all her other plans had failed and the Okhrana was probably no longer at her back. Had Dick loved her, her position even now would have been endurable. But he hated her. So she lay back in his arms and cursed him and all Asia between set teeth. Dick rode with her at a walk un- til he reached the barricade. , ‘“‘Now, burn those wagons!’’ he ordered. Within ten minutes the long line of wood and wheels was all ablaze, and the Princess looked past it at the Caspian, beyond whose waves was Russia and the world of intrigue and luxury she loved. Her eyes were wet, but Dick laid a hand on her arm and called her. “Come!” he said simply. Then turning to his men, he shouted at them, ‘‘Forward! Ride! Ride to the aid of Usbeg Ali Khan!” Dick rode first with the Princess. Last rode Andry, and another. The giant was happy on a horse for the first time in his history—too happy to be aware of the sad- dle that chafed his knees. “Ye’re a bonny, leal lassie,” he kept grinning; and the maid kept busy trying to translate it into French. The next adventure of Dick Anthony of Arran will appear complete in the next issue. The next Miss Dem. story, “‘Spangles and Soapsuds,’’ will appear in the next issue (January). MISSING BY A.-JUDSON HANNA A BLARE of ghoulish winds, and night; The stars have gone out overhead; Leagues upon leagues of seething white, And one small splotch of red. Gray dawn; soft, melting winds ablow. The starved wolf stretches in his bed, Creeps forth to gaze across the snow, And sees—a splotch of red. Two troopers of the Mounted force, Searching for one reported dead, Found the white ruins of a horse Beside a coat of red. cComuiclboook< C©