Show BY WHOSE by EDITH SESSIONS TUPPER author of by a hair a breadth the black diamond coper ht 1889 by W hard fracker co coper 1900 street smith CHAPTER XII continued I 1 shall never forget the picture I 1 saw as I 1 entered bojantz s reception room she stood d erectly under the blazing chandelier dressed in a trail ing blacic gown on which were em brol dered golden serpents it was open atthe neck and revealed the long graceful throat and swelling breast the sleeves tell apart at the shoulder and hung to the hem of her skirt on her long slender arms glis bened bracelet after bracelet in the term of snakes her black hair was studded with pins serpents heads with diamonds and rubies for eyes by the side of a low broad luguri ous divan of orange velvet stood a table loaded with flowers fruit wine and liquors I 1 marked all these preparations for my subjugation as well as the exultant expression on bo janta s face with a cynical eye she took both my hands in hers and warm ly pressed them As soon as I 1 was seated she lighted her cigarette and flung herself n voluptuous ease upon her divan best ng her head upon one slim arm she smoked and stared at me why have iou not come ehe asked every day I 1 have thought ol 01 you your beautiful face your fair acair bour eyes ah I 1 have so wished for sou I 1 pleaded my many business en gage menti as an excuse how did you chance to come tonight she suddenly asked I 1 knew you were to be alone I 1 answered her eyes glittered triumphantly ah you cared then I 1 feared otherwise you seemed so proud so cold so contemptuous when you were last here I 1 wondered if you were really as scornful as indifferent as you appeared I 1 wondered it you had ever loved she broke off here and extending her hand laid it on mine it was it was but the work of an instant with absolute horror that I 1 felt that touch and remembered that the hand which now so gently stroked my own was wont to fondle and toy with the scaly flesh of serpents the cobras cage was directly back of the couch on which bojantz lay she smoothed and caressed my hand I 1 remarked that the reptile be came restless and enraged it lashed against its cage and its neck was in with anger boj nta lazily turned on her couch and laughed in a taunting fashion ah ha infernal Is jealous she cried and well she may be she knows she has a formidable rival I 1 will madden her now come to me and she slowly stretched her long white arms to me good god what was I 1 to do go to the arms of this creature 7 never I 1 sat motionless come love she murmured you are cold or is it that I 1 must come to oua do you wish that I 1 should show you how much I 1 love youa be it so rising from her divan she took a step or two toward me instinctively I 1 too rose I 1 knew a crisis was approaching pro aching she stood now before me ner head thrown back a trifle her half shut eyes gleaming with passion resting on my face in a low caress ing voice she murmured a few deduc alve words and then with an indescribable movement crept upon my breast entwining her arms about my neck and lilting her parted lips to me with ineffable loathing I 1 flung this shameless wanton from me she stag from my repelling motion and nearly tell across her couch then I 1 saw my mistake rising again she stood glaring at me her narrow forehead strangely flattened her slanting eyes dilated and con her body swayed from side to side in uncontrollable rage and now her eyes affected me they held me spellbound ev ry thing faded away save the figure in that barbaric gown A sense of delicious ecstasy seemed to per vade my being an intensity of de light such as I 1 had never experienced enchained me keeping her eyes upon mine she glided toward the cobras cage I 1 saw that long slim hand stretch toward its door then I 1 realized my frightful peril with conr tremendous effort of my will I 1 released my senses from the lethargy which was surely enthrall ing them I 1 was dealing with a demon not a woman I 1 must fight her with her own weapons hanging on a chair near me was a long yellow silk scarf or sash it was but the work of an instant to snatch it and seize bojantz there was a brief wordless ele and then panting and at bay she stood her slender hands secure ly fastened behind her she was not a pleasant eight as with face livid with baffled and mur derous hate and pouring forth a tor rent of furious imprecation she vain ly writhed and tugged at her silken bonds jog monster dev I 1 she burst forth what do you mean what Is it that you speak wretch I 1 welcome you to house I 1 offer boj the happiness most men seel you insult me make a prisoner in my own rooms why Is if why have you bound mea I 1 will tell you presently what I 1 I 1 wish I 1 calmly replied I 1 have bound your hands lest they should do great mischief you were about to loosen that cobra i pon me as you d d the one which I 1 llred poor rex dalrymple at these words she shivered and cowered into a chair her nerve was dorsal ing her I 1 do not know what you mean she muttered who was rex dalrym piea I 1 came and standing before my captive grimly surveyed her shrink ing figure and recoiling eyes you may rightly ask who he was I 1 said for you know only too well that he is not you know who he was you know moreover you were his mistress and his murderess here she made an ineffectual effort to brazen it out I 1 do not know of what you talk she cried defiantly unbind my hands this instant or I 1 will scream tor my servants 0 no you won t I 1 said de cidely you wouldn t like your servants to see you in such an ignominious position I 1 will release you when it pleases me and when is that beaste when you have answered the questions I 1 propose to put to you and it I 1 will nota she flashed back I 1 shrugged my shoulders in differ antly I 1 shall simply secure you more firmly and go or the police I 1 don t believe you w enjoy a pris on cell quite as much as these lumur lous rooms and inconvenient as you find your silken fetters I 1 think you would prefer them to handcuffs I 1 could see my words were not without effect she was frightened I 1 determined to take a high hand with her at once well then she said sullenly tell me what you are talking about I 1 do not understand you I 1 am glad to see you are becom tag tractable I 1 answered I 1 will tell you all I 1 know about you you are known as kama bojantz a hin doo snake charmer you have an other name manola montez under this last name you entered the ice of mrs reginald dalrymple as governess to her child marcele pre to this you had been for some time the mistress of mr dalrymple who established you in handsome apartments in new york during your engagement there at madison square gardens you led him such a dance that he would gladly have been rid of you but you refused to be shaken off you threatened him with ex kosure and public scandal and he at last compromised with you by ar ranging that you should enter his household and spend the summer at his place below sea view on the at alantic lantic coast matters went smoothly enough until you heard of bis devo tion to a certain lady who was stay ing at sea view have I 1 told my story correctly so far senorita mon teza yes came the muttered answer very well now answer a few direct questions did you not un cage the cobra that killed dalrym pie yes was it from revenge or jealousy 9 both you had heard of his devotion to the lady at sea yes you went to his room the night of his death was it by his appoint menta no I 1 went there to tell him what I 1 had heard he was nearly drunk and was angry at me tor coming told me to leave the room he was sick and tired of me did any one enter the room while you were therea yes his wife did she see youa I 1 think so though I 1 do not know I 1 hurried out in your haste you tore your gown did you nota yes Is this the pieced yes at what hour did you loosen the snaked it was half past two when I 1 left my room you scattered armac root in mr dalrymple s room did you nota yes to tempt the bobr yes did dalrymple stir in his no he was too drunk I 1 believe that s all I 1 said mus angly now you must sign this and I 1 drew out the confession I 1 had prepared which was in substance a re capitulation of all that she had told me and read it to her I 1 will not yes ou will or spend this night and many more in prison what will you do with this con I 1 want your confession to read to his family no other use will be made of it as his wife wishes no publicity if you sign it you will be allowed to depart at once for au aralia if yo i do not you will aa I 1 said before go to prison tonight to night now choose she glowered at me and tore again at the scarf which tied her hands but finding she was completely helpless she at last shrugged her shoulders and said I 1 suppose I 1 must submit as you are stronger than I 1 and as I 1 am a prig oner give me the pen and ink she directed roe to her desk and I 1 brought a pen to her I 1 then antas bened her right hand keeping how ever the sash still 1 about her left wrist and in my grasp she has tily scrawled her spider like signa ture and then turning fiercely upon me tried to wrench her imprisoned hand from my hold leave my house instantly she stormed you to be continued |