1 "Oh, Woman! Thou art not alone the creation of God - but of Man!" ---Tagore 2 "Spring - and the nights of Paris, Throb with love and desire." 3 "I want your answer - now!" 4 "Fontenoy, won't you understand - - I do not love you - I never shall." 5 "Mademoiselle - will you think me too bold - if I ask to see your face?" 6 "You are - beautiful!" 7 "How strange - and how wonderful - this meeting! It can't be just accident - chance - -" 8 "I must have you alone - I have so much to say to you. I've waited so long - just for you -" 9 "You should make a wish - -" 10 "All my life, I've been wishing to meet such a woman as you - on such a night as this!" 11 "Why - there are - tears in your eyes - -" 12 "They are - tears of happiness - my first happiness - - !" 13 "Tell me you are free to love me." 14 "There is a strange fear in my heart - of losing you. Won't you tell me your name - - ?" 15 "Let us keep for an hour the glamour of romance. I tell you this - I belong to no one else." 16 "When - and where - am I to see you again?" 17 "Here - in this garden - tomorrow night - and every night for so long as you may love me." 18 "Remember this of me - there were tears in my eyes when I said - - 'I love you!'" 19 In a very smart quarter of Paris was the town residence of Monsieur le Marquis de Torre Bianca - 20 "What brings you back to Paris - - after so many years in the wild Argentine?" 21 "Business - - of course. And to see my old friends." 22 "And has the Argentine made you rich?" 23 "But you're the fellow that's rich, I see." 24 "A few trifles! I can afford but one luxury - -" 25 "- - a beautiful wife." 26 "Is she not beautiful?" 27 "Yes - she is beautiful." 28 "Last night you made me sacred vows of love - you swore you belonged to no other man - - !" 29 "If I lied - it was because I love you - -" 30 "Love - - what can you know of love?" 31 "I told you I loved you - I have never said that to any other man! I'll go away with you now - any where - - !" 32 "If that is the code of your world, I am afraid I do not understand it." 33 "Fontenoy has taken it into his head to give a dinner in your honor, Elena." 34 "And you are invited, too, Robledo." 35 "Fontenoy is the great banker - - and a dear friend of Elena's and mine." 36 "My friends, you are my guests for the last time - - the morning papers will an- nounce the ruin of Fontenoy, the banker." 37 "Back of every man's failure, there is a woman. I lift my glass to the lady - who has honored me!" 38 "To the Temptress - who asks for nothing - but takes all a man can give - and more!" 39 "We were discreet, my friends - - we let the world think her husband gave her these jewels!" 40 "But tonight I leave her another jewel - a name which men will not forget - - till we meet in hell!" 41 "Mon Dieu, how I suffer! I closed my eyes to your intrigue - I wanted you to have the luxuries he could give - -" 42 "But I never thought you would disgrace my name!" 43 "Now who will pay our bills - my debts of honor?" 44 "These jewels will more than pay your - 'debts of honor' - -" 45 "You're not going to leave me - - after all I've done for you - ?" 46 "May God forgive you - for all you have done for me." 47 "Now, see what you've done - I'm late for my tailor." 48 "It is my friend Robledo - I am ashamed to face him." 49 "I am sorry for you -" 50 "- and for you, too, Madame." 51 "Is there anything I can do for you? I am going away today." 52 "And - are you never coming back to Paris?" 53 "Would you - - could you - leave me like this?" 54 "Right or wrong - - I love you." 55 "What you call love is ended!" 56 "It has only begun - you may leave me - but I will not leave you - -" 57 "I am a woman pleading for her life - pride does not matter - -" 58 "Robledo!" 59 "You have forgotten something - -" 60 "- - you love me." 61 The Argentine! Far from the artificial life of the old world - land of Men - and the work of Men! - The Argentine! 62 "Where they make songs for everything - Ay - Ay - Ay - Songs for loving and songs for hating! - Ay - Ay - Ay - THE ARGENTINE!" 63 Songs for the work which must be done! Ay - Ay - Ay! - Songs for the desert which must be won, Ay - Ay - Ay! - 64 "Robledo is coming!" 65 "Robledo is coming!" 66 "ROBLEDO IS COMING!!" 67 "Robledo is coming!" 68 "Canterac - old friend!" 69 "Pirovani - it is good to see you!" 70 "And you, too, my good Timoteo." 71 "You come with God, friend Rojas!" 72 "God has kept you fair as ever, Se�orita Celinda!" 73 "Canterac - I saw your wife in France. She gave me this for you." 74 "A message for you, Pirovani, from the little girl in Italy." 75 Men's work! - - to the martial music of hammer blows - - the shriek of steam whistles - Work that would reclaim the wasteland - - Men's work! - - 76 "He is coming!" 77 "You sent for me, Se�or Engineer? You honor me by remembering me." 78 "Manos Duras has an unpleasant way of reminding us of his existence!" 79 "Manos Duras, we are giving our lives to this great work - - and no man is big enough to stop it!" 80 "Bravo, Se�or!" 81 "Many horses are missing from our ranches - - many of our men have been enticed from honest work to join you!" 82 "But, Se�or, your men are all over twenty-one." 83 "True - but our horses are more youthful." 84 "Does the Se�or suggest that I become a nurse for his horses?" 85 "I suggest that you take your men and get out of this country at once - or there will be bloodshed." 86 "Whose blood, Se�or?" 87 "Not mine, Manos Duras - do you understand?" 88 "Se�or is so expressive - in words!" 89 "God be with you, Se�or - till we meet again!" 90 "The Devil will be with me, Manos Duras - when we meet again!" 91 Men's work! - and the memory of Paris - the Temptress - grew fainter each day - - 92 "And where may one find Se�or Robledo - the Engineer?" 93 "My friend - you have come to begin over!" 94 "This is not a country for European women! Why did you bring your wife?" 95 "She wanted to come - and her jewels paid the way." 96 "Have you no welcome - for me?" 97 "Don't they call this - 'the land of the second chance' - - ?" 98 "My housekeeper will find a room for you. But Madame will see this is not Paris." 99 "Elena wanted to save some of her pretty things from the wreck." 100 "The Se�ora will soon be down - - she is undressing." 101 "Madame, this is a country of work and hardship. We do not dress for dinner here!" 102 "I shall always dress for dinner!" 103 "Have some onions - they'll make you fat!" 104 "To Paris! - which has given us such a woman as Madame la Marquise!" 105 "To the Argentine! - whose lovers are - - faithful!" 106 "Ah, the night was made for love Ay, Ay, Ay! And so was a lady fair Ay, Ay, Ay!" 107 "Mat�? What is Mat�? Well, I've tried everything else and I'm still here." 108 "Appear at the window, Ay, Ay, Ay! Dove of my soul! Ay, Ay, Ay!" 109 "Manos Duras, I told you we didn't want you here! Your singing hasn't made me change my mind." 110 "You are cruel, Se�or. How can I leave until the beautiful lady rewards me with her smile?" 111 "The lady doesn't want to hear you - - nor to see you!" 112 "You are mistaken, Se�or. From yonder window she looks and listens." 113 "I have the advantage, Se�or. I defy you to make music - - I defy you to stop it! 114 "So you are the bold Manos Duras - whom men fear? I do not fear you - - Manos Duras." 115 "I have been misunder- stood, beautiful lady. But there is nothing I would not do - for you." 116 "Your protectors are well armed - - my brave Manos Duras." 117 "My caballeros are gentle as lambs, Se�or - they would not harm a fly -" 118 "- but I am less tender, and I would prove it to you! When would it please you?" 119 "Here and now! Guns or knives?" 120 "Neither, Se�or. We will fight - - 'Argentine'." 121 "You don't know the 'Argentine', Robledo - he is master of it!" 122 "Mio Dio! He will cut your eyes out. It is his way!" 123 "The first man who steps outside the circle is beaten!" 124 "You try to hate me, Robledo - but - you fought for me!" 125 "For you! I didn't fight for you - I fought for the mastery here!" 126 Work of men - death of men - friendship of men - and a woman! - 127 "Ride like the devil! And remember - the best perfumes you can buy!" 128 "Perfume - - the fool! That won't hold her here - I shall give her a glorious fiesta." 129 "My friends, we've fought and sweated together - - to finish this work - -" 130 "- we're making history - and we can't let any- one - man or woman - stop us!" 131 "Pirovani - there's a little girl in Italy - - longing for you." 132 "And your wife, Canterac - are you going to fail her?" 133 "God makes men - and woman makes fools!" 134 "Busy?" 135 "Happy?" 136 "You have not been happy since - - she came." 137 "And I have not been happy - - since she came - -" 138 "- - and she has not been happy - -" 139 "You wanted to see me - Robledo?" 140 "This is no place for you, Elena. Your world is Paris - - you must go back there." 141 "You - want me - to go?" 142 "The men are neglecting their work for you." 143 "I've arranged your passage on the next boat." 144 "Must I - - go alone?" 145 "Robledo - why don't you come with me?" 146 "Once you told me you loved me." 147 "Then - - not now." 148 "Are these not the same hands you kissed in Paris - - ?" 149 "- - are these not the same lips?" 150 Men from the dam to make a fiesta for the Marquise! - Men - Men - - what are men for - - if not to amuse a woman! 151 "Why are only half the men here? I gave orders for every man to be at his post tonight!" 152 "Canterac has taken the men to make a fiesta for the foreign Se�ora." 153 "But Pirovani - - Timoteo - have they gone mad, too?" 154 "You mustn't go away tomorrow - give me a chance to prove how much you mean to me." 155 "Elena - I love you - I want you! I'd give my life for one kiss from you." 156 "Do you think you can buy the love of such a woman - you swine?" 157 "I have killed my friend." 158 "See what you've done, you fool! Get away while you can!" 159 "May I say goodbye - to - to her?" 160 "In hell - would you offer prayers to the devil?" 161 "Tonight a man killed his friend - - another life upon your soul!" 162 "Why upon my soul? What have I done?" 163 "Your husband met his death - because of you!" 164 "Because of me, perhaps - but not through any fault of mine!" 165 "You let Fontenoy ruin himself for you! You sent him to his damnation!" 166 "My husband - - sold me - - to Fontenoy." 167 "Men have died for you - forsaken work and honor - for you!" 168 "Not for me - but for my body! Not for my happiness, but for theirs!" 169 "But there is one thing about me that is a part of God - -" 170 "- my love - for you." 171 "You lie - damn you - you lie! You have destroyed others - - but you shall not destroy me!" 172 "If we can build a barricade to turn the water from washing over the broken portion - we can still save most of the dam!" 173 An endless - - gruelling night - straining muscles - breaking backs - weariness - despair - rebellion - 174 "I'll shoot the first man who deserts his work!" 175 "Save yourselves - the floods - - the floods!" 176 "Kneel, my children, and thank God for saving the life of our brave Robledo." 177 "God - if there is a God - this woman shall destroy no one else!" 178 "I hate you - I want to kill you! But - - I can't!" 179 "You've beaten me - Elena." 180 "I am yours - do what you will with me. I'll go away with you to- morrow - anything -" 181 "You can't give up your work. I won't let you be beaten - - even by me! I love you - - too much." 182 "I haven't strength to begin over. Nothing counts for me now - but you." 183 "Dear God - why can't You give me back the past - - to do better with - - ?" 184 "Thou that takest away the sins of the world - have mercy on me!" 185 Woman - born to rule the world! 186 It was six years before Robledo left the Argen- tine again - this time his work would stand - 187 Paris - the Temptress - that never loses her lovers - - 188 "They are waiting to see Robledo - the great Argentine engineer, and his fianc�e." 189 "Go on - - I'll follow later." 190 "Elena!" 191 "Elena - - don't you know me?" 192 "Elena - you couldn't have - forgotten?" 193 "I meet so many men." 194 "Elena - Elena - you must remember! Our first meeting - our love - the bitterness - and the joy - ?" 195 "I meet so many men." 196 "Elena - - isn't there something I can say - something I can do -" 197 "Buy me a drink." 198 "You may not care now, Elena - - nor even remember - but for the sake of the past, let me help you." 199 "- in all my useless life - one thing - -" 200 "- a ruby - You will understand - - You died for love -" 201 "Mon Dieu! The ruby is real!" The EndHome