And it
was the tiger that made her new and alluring sweetness fail of its
intent. I did not return one of her kisses. Just one kiss given
back--and I would be lost.
"Oh, Russ, I'm your promised wife!" she whispered at my lips. "Soon, you
said! I want it to be soon! To-morrow!" All the subtlety, the
intelligence, the cunning, the charm, the love that made up the whole of
woman's power, breathed in her pleading. What speech known to the tongue
could have given me more torture? She chose the strongest weapon nature
afforded her. And had the calamity to consider been mine alone, I would
have laughed at it and taken Sally at her word. Then I told her in
short, husky sentences what had depended on Steele: that I loved the
Ranger Service, but loved him more; that his character, his life,
embodied this Service I loved; that I had ruined him; and now I would
forestall him, do his work, force the issue myself or die in the
attempt.
"Dearest, it's great of you!" she cried. "But the cost! If you kill one
of my kin I'll--I'll shrink from you! If you're killed--Oh, the thought
is dreadful! You've done your share. Let Steele--some other Ranger
finish it. I swear I don't plead for my uncle or my cousin, for their
sakes.
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