A Woman at Bay

he time Handsome and he returned to the outlaws' camp-he tumbled upon the bunk that was shown him, and he lost no tim

Dago! You'

clothing still upon his person, he was not long in making himself ready. To have i

aid to Handsome, who was st

t. She is at her breakfast now," was

ce of a lady, and am expected to eat with her, I'

ome l

e in a while," he s

ng himself a good wash-for Nick had the satisfaction of knowing that the stain he ha

iting them; but Handsome paused at th

'm not in this. You're to

, and was about to move on, when H

" he whispered. "I have already said many a good one for

t," said

rd, Dago. I forg

ha

Mike has

ho

e sneaked away after you left last night, so I'm told, and he swore black and blue that he would have your life for that

ck went on alone to the piazza, w

, and waited for her to make some sign; and she approac

, Dago," she

madam," he re

ng," she continued, laughing lightly. "Or,

e," he replied again, as gra

le thought since I talked with you here last night. C

mad

. I was about to eat mine when I

is most

th good things, well cooked, too, they appeared to be; and

id. "I declare, we

at you are doing me too much honor, for on

tire of all these ragamuffins who are my men. Sometimes I kill o

incautious

y s

might take it into h

k about it. I'm not so easily killed as al

good guess

o be a good one-an exceptionally good on

ke a guess

want you to madam me all the t

you are that distinguished and elusive person

rtily, stirring her coff

am that distinguished and elusive person. There is no doubt about that. I have spent a

it is a

For example, what did you think of the o

perfectly. The men must have been

ughed

yed my orders; nothing more. I made the plans myself. I told them exactly what to do,

rfectly do

e way, Handsome gives me a

else I would not be her

for you; that has nothin

N

nd where you have met me before," she said swiftly, a

n a start then that would have betrayed him; as it was, he answ

ve tried to recall the time and place ever since I

d as you have," she said, with a

so, m

have seen me somewhere before that time. Had you denied it, you woul

adam. But since I have

s about me that is fa

r great beauty

interrupted him coldly. "I know all about my beaut

mbering your beauty," insisted Nick boldly. "It is the fi

ly I will be more

ink. You have what the Fren

ted perc

ntly that he had made a mistake in reminding her of her career in Par

d again how perfectly he was disguised, and how impossible it should

dily at him, and for the mom

demanded suddenly. "You

returned the de

are

ou do not demand the past records of your followers. All that

u?" she rep

hn, madam, at

another name t

another

t wa

s the question, that it will be answe

ir, do you da

madam asked the question as a joke, k

r to laugh the matter off entirely, in admiration of his bravery. She decided upon the latter cours

seen me before. Help me to re

e, madam. I have

s associated with me

you," he ventured; and she frowned. It was p

and through, while she cast her memory back over the storms of her life, not yet more than twenty-three years, all tol

oal black, and blazing, fairly burned into his own; but he held h

king her coffee to the floor, and she stood over him-but whether in ange

as in Paris. It was at the prefecture of police. I was there. I was only a girl. I had just finished with the chief when you entered the room. I did not

he made. He knew that she remembered now, perfectly well, and that

lay out his r?le as it should appear, Nick pretended instantly to be as gr

, but he did manage to upset his chair, so that it fell backward on the floor; and then for the space of a

her eyes upon him, and still evidently taxing her memory to the utmost

mber. There had been a sudden death in the house where I lived-it was on the floor just beneath me-and Goron sent for me to question me about it. It was though

en fire of anger, and her l

shook hands with you. Why did he do that?

did he?" asked Nick, smiling

he shake ha

re old acquain

ou by name. What

past I have deemed i

you shall re

is shoulders, a

t name?" she

old madam

ck was interrupted in what he was about to say; and she seized a rope t

pon you. They are all like wild beasts, or like dogs, ready to tear each other at the slightest provocation. If I should point my finger at you-so-and say to

s shoulders, and leaned b

. It is of no moment here. It could do you no good to hear it, and to mention it might do me harm; therefore, I shall not mention it, no matter how of

ed it, still staring at him, and

and a brave one. There is not another wh

much at stake," he replied quietly, but

hat she was concentrating her mind upon that incident at the prefe

ising to shake hands with him, had called him by name plainly enough. It was evident that she also remembe

firmly together. Her eyes became sombre. She seemed oblivious of his presence, and of her surroundings.

shoulders, and rose from her chair, and then, with an assumption of car

subject again another time, after we have both had opportunity to think it over. If

an old pipe. The prospect of a cigar was enticing, and so he took her at her word, and helped himself-turning his back to her

r attitude and manner. He could not exactly acco

ecall the name of Nick Carter as connected with that incident, he knew that his own life would not be worth the snap of a finge

re were no less than a hundred of her followers, and ther

way through the woods, when he came out, an

ke it into their heads to be jealous if you should go among them with it, and they sh

ger in his mind, Nick followed her suggestion, and leaned back in the chair

fficult to tell exac

for some minutes, and that he thought it somewhat rank, notwithstand

een three or four grains of gunpowder wrapped in it-and he was

had struck him, so strange were his sensations

ugh the door swiftly, and caught him as he was about to fall from his chair to the floor of the piazza; caught him, and held him, and then deftly raised

e the door, heavy as he was, she raised him in her arms, and carried him into an a

s on the floor, and, having lifted a trapdoor, she again took him in her ar

n her face, while she replaced the rug over the trapdoor, and otherwise

it in deep thought; but at last she raised her head quickly, and called s

red; and then she continued her

ing chap could not be imagined; and yet, withal, there was a gleam of hum

at bunch who were found wit

king his thumb over his shoulde

about them, Handsom

eplied. "They are about the usual sort, I

so sure

ked, vaguel

, and sand, if necessary. I want you to make sure that there is no suggestion of disguise about any of the three. Do it a

was plain also that her suspicions were thoroughly aroused; for now she paced up and down again

she de

e plainly disgui

r?" she deman

plainly was n

o were disguise

er. I cannot tell whether they are spies or

ne? The one who

d been with him were in disguise, he flew at one of them, thinking that he had been followe

shrug of her shoulders;

sguised, first. Leave the other one alone until I sen

and the other calls hims

or short, is it not? I think we are on the right