During all of the Shade's escapades, he is pursued by the Ludlows, whom he kills by the dozens. He is nearly killed by one Ludlow, Marguerite Croft, when he falls in love with her in Paris during the 1930s. She tries to kill Shade with poison, but is unsuccessful. Shade survives and is forced to kill Marguerite when she confesses that though she loves him, her loyalty to her family would force her to make more attempts on his life. This leaves Shade with a sense of general depression and the feeling he could never love again. Because of this and the death of Brian Savage, he resumes his activities as an assassin.