He deliberately took her in his arms and kissed her lips. Her mind was still stunned by the anguish of her failure. There was no longer feeling in body or soul. Nothing mattered. “You’re mine!” he cried fiercely. “I hold you Cossack fashion now!” He paused in breathless rage, stepped close and struck her a stinging blow with his open hand. She fell across a divan and he stood over the prostrate body with clenched fists. “To think,” he growled, “that I made this idiotic blunder to win your smile! Well, it’s mine! I’ve won it--do you hear? You’ve failed! My men are coming--do you hear?” The slender, graceful form lay limp and still--the face chalk-white. She had swooned at last. The blow was more than unconquered pride could endure. He gazed a moment with bloodshot eyes, dropped suddenly on his knees and took her in his arms. “I love you--I love you--and you’re all mine now--all--all mine, body and soul! My Lucretia Borgia--eh? Well, you’ve found your master. And you’re worth the fight!” CHAPTER XLIV Waldron left Virginia to recover, as he knew she would, and hurried again to the tower to rush his garrison. The answer came at once: “The men are on the way, sir.” They were! Ten thousand cavalrymen with guidons streaming from their lances! A thousand automobiles were sweeping with them in companies of twenty--each machine packed with sturdy infantrymen, their battle standards flying from speeding cars. The first division of cavalry which Angela had summoned rescued Billy’s hard pressed men, wiped out his opponents, and reached the shelter of the porte-cochère before Waldron’s guard inside realized their presence. Supposing the Imperial troops had answered the summons the big doors were opened. The entrance was forced before Waldron saw they wore the felt hats of the United States Army. He slammed the massive doors of the library, dragged Virginia through another exit and reached the upper story by the rear stairway. The Captain held the lower floor. Waldron’s guard with their rifles and automatics commanded the landings of the two stairs. Vassar found his men holding a council of war when he leaped from his car and entered the blood-stained doorway of the banquet hall. Vassar had just formed his men in solid mass to rush the stairway and batter in the door above, when the big elevator shot down the shaft, showing Waldron with Virginia under guard. In a flash he recalled that the entrance from the Drive passed through the hill to this shaft. If Waldron could reach the pier he might yet escape on his yacht. Vassar rushed to the window and looked toward the river. The yacht lay beside the wharf, her portholes gleaming, her funnels belching flame and smoke. The engineer had gotten the signal. He was using oil to force the steam. With a fierce cry of rage Vassar called to Billy and a dozen men leaped after them.