man. You are mine now, my lovely,
adorable Myra, my heart's delight, mine to do with as I will, to take
or break."

The quietly spoken words struck dread into Myra's heart. It seemed to
her that a remorseless gleam had crept into the bright eyes of Don
Carlos. Intuitively she knew that he was determined to impose his will
upon her, and mingled with her dread there was resentment.

"Is it useless to appeal to your better nature, to your chivalry?" she
asked quickly, her voice tremulous.

"Is it useless to appeal to you again to surrender to the call of
love?" countered Don Carlos. "Myra, mia cara, every fibre of my being
is pulsing with love for you, and my heart is craving for the joy and
rapture that you alone can give. Look into my eyes, mia cara, and
whisper that you love me."

He laid his hands on Myra's shoulders as he spoke, compelling her to
meet his burning glance, and Myra felt as if she were being hypnotised.

"You love me, Myra darling, and it is only pride that prevents you from
confessing yourself conquered," went on the caressing voice. "When you
are mine, you will whisper you are glad that I conquered you. You are
lovely, my dear, seductive, adorable prisoner, and the beauty of you
sets me aching with longing."

His hands slid caressingly from Myra's shoulders down her arms to her
hands, which he raised to his lips and then drew round his neck. Myra
was trembling, and her breath was coming and going unsteadily, and she
felt as if she had lost all powers of resistance, felt as if she had
been drugged. She closed her eyes, and a gasping sigh broke from her
lips as Don Carlos strained her close to his breast again, murmuring
endearments.

"Let me set your heart afire with burning kisses," he murmured. "I
will kiss the heart out of you, sweet one, and kiss it back again white
hot with my own love and ardour. Give me back kiss for kiss, beloved."

Again he was kissing her, hungrily, passionately, yet tenderly withal.
Myra's senses were reeling. He did seem to be drawing the very heart
out of her with his lips, and drugging her senses. She felt as if she
were suffocating, and again she began to struggle involuntarily after a
few minutes as he drew her down with him on to the couch.

"You are stifling me," she panted. "Let me go."

Don Carlos released her at once, and she rose to her feet, pressing her
hands instinctively to her heaving bosom, as if to try to still the
wild throbbing of