Adventure Magazine Cover, October 30, 1924 — page 110: what you’re looking at

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

TOO live forever in prison. Men who are in the way.” Silvain’s sword flashed. He struck down at Lodovico’s head, struck once and with the flat of the blade. He whirled round on Beatrice. ‘““Make no sound, do not stir,’”’ he said, “or this is his death.”’ And as he spoke Lodovico slipped from his chair and slid to the floor in a heap. “All is well, lady,” Silvain said gently. ‘This is only a swoon yet. But my sword has a point too. Do what I bid or it finds his heart. Open the door to that inner room.” She looked at him a moment and she was as pale as he, then glided across the room and flung the door wide. Silvain saw an empty bed-chamber. “Halt there,” he said and gathered Lodo- vico in his arms and strode past her and laid the senseless man on the bed. ‘‘Lady, you must call a servant, you must tell him that Louis Bonivard and his Clarissa are to be given horses and set free to go where they will. This you will say in the council cham- ber and there you will stay. For I shall be here by the Lord Lodovico until they are safe beyond the castle and if you give the alarm here in your bed he dies.” “And what then, fool?’’ she said in a low voice. ‘‘What shall save you then?” “What will save you, lady? For I have many devices yet. I might kill you too. I might swear that you bade me kill him.” “You would not dare!’ she cried; but she looked at him and saw that only his lips were smiling and his eyes cold and fierce. “My , you have no shame. This is a dastard’s trick.” “Let it be what it will. I do not care for myself nor for you. I think of the two you sent me to betray. DoasIbid you. Go!” She looked at him again and glided out of the room, and he stood on guard over Lodovico. After a moment he heard her clap her hands and call a servant and send for the seneschal and then: “Oh, you are slow, Roderigo, you are slow. My lord bids you set the Swiss knight and his lady free. Give them their horses and let them go. See to it quickly.” Her dress rustled into the bed chamber again. She came to Silvain, she looked at his set stern face, she looked down at her husband and touched his brow. “His soul is still in his body,” Silvain said. ‘You have served him well.”’ Adventure She turned away and went to the window. In a while the sound of horses came from the courtyard. She held out her hand and beckoned to Silvain. He came to her side and_saw Bonivard and Clarissa mount and ride out and away. She drew a long breath, she turned to Silvain and smiled. “Well, my knight errant? And now?” Silvain put up his sword. “It is finished,” he said. ‘Oh, but you had many devices. Come, what device have you now? You may kill him yet before help comes. You may kill me too. Be swift!” “I promised you his life for theirs. He is safe.” “You are wise!’’ she sneered. ‘‘Here are a hundred men to beat you down when they find my lord is stricken.” “That I know well. I stand here to die.”’ “Oh, you are humble at last. You will kneel and ask mercy now.”’ “Not I. I ask nothing. You and your lord, you sent me out to bring a woman into your power. You tempted me to betray her and my friend. Well, I have saved them, but you made me strike down a naked man to do it and threaten his wife with death and shame. You have made me play the das- tard tobeat you. Ithank you. Iask noth- ing of you.”’ “You have saved them!”’ she said and she laughed. ‘‘He saves others; himself he can not save. By , you Shall take something of me. Go with your life, go.”’ She swept out; she called down the stair— “Ho, there! swift!” Silvain stood a moment, then strode for- ward and met her face to face. He knelt and kissed her hand. ‘Forgive me, lady, I have done you a wrong in my heart. It is you who have the honor of the day and I am shamed.” But she laughed. “Oh, fool, fool!’ she said and the echo of her laughter was with him as he went. Sir Silvain’s horses! Swift, ple a) MESSIRE THIBAUT fidgeting for -< i, | fear in the courtyard was more afraid when he saw his master’s face. For once in his life Messire Thibaut dared not speak. Their horses were brought and they mounted and rode out of that castle of Binasco, and Thibaut crossed himself and micloool © in