[7] Neither Eunice Arton, nor any of the stolen girls, have ever been heard from since. Like the thousands of men, women and children who met their death in the attack upon New York, Eunice Arton was a victim of these tragic events. He shrugged. "You could call that the fortunes of war. This is war--" "And you," she said, "are my enemy." "Oh, I would not go so far as to say that. Rather would I call myself your friend." "So that you will return me safely? And also Bob Rivers, and my cousin, Don--you will return us safely as you promised?" "Did I promise? Are you not prompting words from my lips?" Jane was breathless from fear, but she tried not to show it. "What are you going to do with us?" she demanded. There is no woman who lacks feminine guile in dealing with a man; and in spite of her terror Jane summoned it to her aid. "You want me to like you, Tako?" "Of course I do. You interest me strangely. Your beauty--your courage--" "Then if you would be sincere with me--" "I am; most certainly I am." "You are not. You have plans for me. I told Tolla I supposed I was destined for someone's harem. Yours?" It startled him. "Why--" He recovered himself and laughed. "You speak with directness." He suddenly turned solemn. He bent toward her and lowered his voice; his hand would have touched her arm, but she drew away. "In very truth, ideas are coming to me, Jane. I will be, some day soon, the greatest man of my world. Does that attract you?" "N-no," she said, stammering. "I wish that it would," he said earnestly. "I do of reality wish that it would. I will speak plainly, and it is in a way that Tako never spoke to woman before. I have found myself, these last hours, caring very much for your good opinion of me. That is surprising." * * * * * She stared at him with sudden fascination mingled with her fear. He seemed for this moment wholly earnest and sincere. An attractive sort of villain, this handsome giant, turned suddenly boyish and naive. "That is surprising," Tako repeated. "Is it?" "Very. That I should care what any woman thinks of me, particularly a captive girl--but I do. And I realize, Jane, that our marriage system is very different from yours. Repugnant to you, perhaps. Is it?" "Yes," she murmured. His gaze held her; she tried to shake it off, but it held her. "Then I will tell you this: I have always felt that the glittering luxury of a large harem is in truth a very empty measure of man's greatness. For Tako there will be more manly things. The power of leadership--the power to rule my world. When I got that idea, it occurred to me also that for a man like me there might be some one woman--to stand alone by my side and rule our world." His hand touched her arm, and though she shuddered, she left it there. Tako added with a soft vibrant tenseness. "I am beginning to think that you are that woman."