Page:Frank Owen - Woman Without Love (1949 reprint).djvu/13

 from men which she hid and gloated over in secret like a miser. She wanted money, lots of money, and she wanted power.

She decided the best way to get it was to be friendly with John Rott. He was not particularly good-looking; there was a crafty look about him. He distrusted everyone and most people distrusted him, but in the underworld of the town he was a power. In political circles, too, he was not without influence. So his place was never molested.

Mary was always smiling, always friendly when he came to her. She always had a joke to tell or a bit of scandalous gossip. She knew that he enjoyed such tales.

"If there were more girls like you," he declared, "this world would be a helluva lot nicer place to live in."

"But," she pouted, "if there were more girls like me, perhaps nobody would bother looking at me at all."

"Say, girlie," he cried, "with your eyes and figure you could get by anywhere. In my time a thousand girls have passed through my life and never have I known one that aroused my interest to such an extent. I've never met a damn one whose body was more like creamy velvet. How'd you like to go off with me some night in my carriage and have dinner somewhere?"

"But what would my customers do?" she asked curtly.

"Hell with them!" he exclaimed. "I'm your best customer and besides I own you. Nobody is going to tell me what I can do with my own property."

She was on the verge of saying that she doubted if he could prove legal ownership. But she decided not to. No use arousing his suspicions. Instead she only looked at him and smiled. With a cry he sprang toward her.

"You're, a devil-girl," he panted, "and that dinner I spoke of must take place tonight."

She could not answer because his great lips were pressed against hers. She was busy thinking of a possible chance of escape tonight. She decided that she would take all her money with her.

No matter what happened she determined she would never return to that sinister house. She hated everything about it,