The Penn's Grove record., 1883-12-15


and so happy; none had a neck and
shoulders so smooth. and soft, and white
arms 50 beautifully rounded; or, In
short, features and form so exQuisitely
proportioned in every respect. She
was the admired, the most worshipped
Of al, bat Lieutenant Egsrton was now
her acknowledged cavalier and afaanced
husband.
The Mandarin, Shan Tchesn, per
forms the duties Of a host most gra-
%ciously. He c~oDgratulates the young
couple with an oily smile, and insists
upon the l~ieutenant's acceptance of a
ruby scarf pin, and the bride of a pair
Of exquisitely opal earrings. Nay
more, he playfully insists On personally
decorating them Herewith, and though
he is 50 clumsy as to prick the young
officer pretty sharply whilst fixing the
pin IN his scarf-for, owing to the heat
of the weather, the lieutenant has gone
to the entertainment and ball in multi
he certainly will be more careful with
the tiny ears Of the pretty Dora Dacre.
As he opens the box containing the
opals, a little green fly drops from
somewhere or other on to Dora's snowy
neck, buzzes up against her cheek, and
either bites or stings her ere it falls on
her exquisite neck again.
Dora percelves that one of its wings
is gone, and so she gently flicks it from
off her with a delicately gloved finger,
and takes no further heed of the occur.
renee.
Meanwhile the amicaDle Mandarin
has tenderly and deity fixed the superb
opals in her ears, and she is soon being
whirled around in another ecstatic
waits.
81 am next ON your list again." says
Egerton, coming up to her when it is
over. "a gallop, that is fine.n
"Why, Dora, what Is that black spot
on your face?p
mot a patch to attract attention to
your dimple, eh? g didn't know there
was anything there. A little fly bit me
just now but"
Heavens, Dora, the black circle is
expanding even while l gaze at it; It's
now as big as a %threepenny Bit"
"Gracious, and there is another on
my neck. Oh what can it be | wonderf"
and Dora, throwing on her opera cloak, |
fastened into one OF the little with
drawing-rooms to look at her face in a
mirror.
Their hest, the Mandarin, stood be-
side it smiling and rubbing his hands.
Little beauty spot, becomes Missiles
fair skin very much, " he said softly.
But the same instant two British
officers entered the curtained a.cove at
the back.
The n was Dora's father, the
other the regimental surgeon, Doctor
Ferguson.
Get your poor child home at once"
said the latter in a whisper. "She has
not half an hour to live"
'Heavensl what do you-what can
you mean, doctor?" asked the ago
nized father, in the same low tone.
THAT she has been bitten by a death
fly from the poisonous marshes Of
Chang-yang. Modification, as you
can see, has Immediately followed the
puncture. In a few minutes she will
be a loathsome object to behold. The
only comfort / a give you is that
her death will be painless"
sob, this is horriblel Let me get
neal my child. do you go and bring
Egerton here, Doctor"
The doctor at once hurried away for
the young officer, but found him in the
middle of the ballroom floor, in the
agonies of death, with a green froth
bubbling from his lips.
Let me see that box" said the doc
L.. ,..us..- Io11 .f Chez HNobae,. nc ba
was in the act of thrusting n made
of cardboard out of sight behind one OF
the window curtains.
He seemed 10th to give it up. but
Doctor Ferguson wrenched it from
him, for he recognized it as the one
that had held Dora Dacre's opal ear
rings.
On opening it he found therein the
glittering wing of a fly, a flimsy bit of
purple and gold.
"Wretch,n he said to the Mandarin,
sit was you who murdered her. You
dropped a one-winged death-fy ON to
her neck whilst you fixed the rings in
her ears, knowing that thus it would
be sure to bite her ere it could get
away. And the lover-youhav killed
INN also.
"By the prick of a poisoned PIN"
moaned Egerton in his death agony.
A dozen swords flashed from their
scabbards in an instant, and the treach-
erous Shan Tchesn fell beneath more
than one gaping wound, to expire be-
fore either of his victims.
But the stern law of retributive JUG
tice did not save them.
Lieutenant Egerton died before he
could be got of the room, and the
beautiful Dora had followed him to
shadowland, ere the souls deserted
casket was carried into her ia theirs
house.