Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-06-19

! L leaned over the dock and consigned the
| ripple, a long breath of relief. and fed at
| top speed down the street. ran for dear life,
as II had come from the commission of Q
crime.
But in the course of that day realized that
had made things worse. Not for two consecu-
gladly have changed my right hand for the
aoiiity TO undo the mornings work. II had
taken the lite of human being my repentance
''See here. Roswell@' my partner, Jordan said
10 me, as we were preparing to quit the office,
%tnere is something the matter with you.
You re worried. You're working too hard.
10Y need rest. Take vacation for a week or
"No.nI answered. the work keeps me from
brooding. shall be ali right presently without
a vacation, Thanks
But my dear fellow, you lead too solitary a
ne; lou ought to amuse yourself. Go in for O
little dissipation. Come with me to the ball to-
night"
'Bal? What ball?,
why the peacock ball-the great masquerade
mt the academy"
,, Hum, said renectively. II don't know
The idea struck me fayorahly. went home.
put on my swallow tail, and rejoned Jordan at
~ restaurant " mere we dined together. He had
", pfIgusu disguise Tor mean ordinary domino
AS everybody had attended the peacock ball,
~ would be superf1uOus for me to describe 1T. It
was q gorgeous spectacle enough, and did for a
whiie furnish me with the distraction which
had come to seek.
peeialy attracted my attention
One was q lady attired in rich brocade. A pair
OIL oiacA eyes flashed out from behind her mask
and there was an extreme grace in the undula-
lions OF her body as she moved about She
joined In none OF the dances and seemed to
nav nave no companion-unless the other figure
that have mentioned may have been SUCH.
ihis other was man of short stature, made up
as cardinal in crimson silk. Tufts of grayish
beard escaped around the edges Of his mask.
W neither by accident or design he WAS ALWAYS
10 be observed a few feet behind the woman
To enjoy closer glimpse of her, squeezed
through the tnrong in her direction.
w hat my astonishnept was the reader need
nof be told when / informed him that sus-
pended from this wOmans girdle, 1 beheld the
Identical stietto which had made away with
that very morning-the identical stiletto or
what seemed vastly more unlikely, its literal
duplicate.
/! gulped down my natural reticence and at
tanning the woman's side addressed her. To do
so was the privilege OF masquerade.
Beautliul mask, said, may I secure you
for waltZ?'
She started. was conscious of undergoing a
rieIu scrutiny by the black eyes. Then She
answered, II do not waltz" Her voice. as musi-
timidity.
dances fail OF their Object-they are vapid like
wine deprived OF its bouquet, If you decline to
take part In them Still perhaps should con-
graduate myself. II no others are coming to
audience"
"Hark, beautiful mask" / resumed. "tbe
orchestra has stopped play ing, and the moment
for sweeter music has arrived. Win YOU not
speak to me?'
Nv hat shall say?" she asked, with childlike
"Ah, that shall not presume to dictate.
only II you are willing to be particularly
aocinu sen me why you carry that deadly
WV nhWhy y?,, l don't know of any special reason
m M as dropped it into the North River less
IMAM tWenty-four hours ago, am rather per-
+ You? What do you mean? It has never
oeen near the river. You must be mistaken
Il dare not contradict you; yet it is scarcely
possible that there should be two such in exist
ence. Will You permit me to examine it?"
certainly, she acquiesced, detaching it from
NO" I said, as 1 studied it, at is not mine
after all. But the sembiance Is wonderful The
same s blaze the same inscription, per rodio 0
tontof, the same silver hilt, the same-no not
the same jewel. Mine was an opal This isuN
l paused, at fault for a name.
A beryl," she added. at is indeed strange
that the Two should be SO much alike have
Mad this all my life. l supposed it was quite
Unique
Al this point the cardinal solved the problem
OF their companionship by intruding himself
between us. He muttered few sylables into
the ear OF my interiocutrice, and bowling stifiy
70 me, thrust his arm threw hers and drew her
away.
=. My impulse was to follow; but suppressed
IL, ana set about hunting for my partner.
The nunt was bootless, though I perseyered
in IL until / was quite tired out Then re-
paired to the dressing room, dotted my costume
and started TO take my leave
As descended the staircase, the noise of
quarreisome voices sounded from below On
reaching the vestibule discovered that brace
VI youhs men IN masks were administering a
Vfo1ent scoidlng to very harmless old gentle
in plain evening DRESS
Inc Old gentleman bowed and scraped in the
most conGiIlatory manner; but the wrath of the
young fellows was not thus to be appeased.
hat Is more, recogn ized them in spite of
mel masks as couple OF my own acq quaint
Il r,cfio
fering.
Nv hats the rowe" demanded.
Damon and Pythias favored me with a tumul.
tuous explanation which was entirely incom-
petent to understand.
You, SIR, 1 said, turning to their victim,
why Were they abusing your"
ITO tell you the truth,f he replied. 81 don't
know. i was standing here waiting tor INV
daughter, who is In the parlor getting ready to
bied up against me, and then, instead of apollo
gIzns, began TO storm. l have done my best
s W pa ci tneh, Dul, lowering his tone, -
much wine."
New, Boys, look sharp" L said, "you are
n th,ns loois OF yourselves in public place,
anu tomorrow you will regret it This gentle
man IS friend of mine, and want you to treat
nun WITH proper respect. II you don't beg his
Paiuoi, i snail tell him your names, and am
them." - A'-0"
on. If he was fren' Of mine, all right. Very
sorry 10 have annoyed him. G-slad to make
MS acquaintance: See him later" and the
young men moved OFT at a sheepish pace.
ihe Ola gentleman, on the contrary seized nv
hitno ana gave Vent TO a torrent OF thanks 1
was ms benefactor, his protector; he could
never adequately express his gratitude. Would
accept MS card and believe that he was my
devoted servitor?
was not surprised to see that the name on
his card was a foreign one-an American would
never have been SO demonstratiye The name
Was Dr. David Pexias.
AS the winter dragged on plunged into the
tnlck Oi social gayety, and my condition sI,...i.
~ improved. Though did not cease to think
., the iair lace OF the Stiletto, its unhealthtuI
effect upon me had some how been neutraliZed
Win the ADVENT OF spring / concluded that /
was altoSether my old self again. Now and
then. also, my mind reverted to the black.eyed
lady, of the Peacock ball; and her ewes had
been 50 very black and sparkling that some.
Times, confess, could not help wishing for a
second opportunity to admire lhem But on
the whole was pretty well cOntented with me-
actual lot, and should have deserved worse ii +
had coveted better.
Toward sunset one tender Nav afternoon 7
CHANGED to be stroiling through Central Park
4 ne alt was sweet with the scent oil bursting
tonnage, aud cianlorous with the cries of chii,iren
a. sport AT certain point a rod or s, IN All.
vance OF me, fully q score of little folks were
gatnereo around bench. As drew nearer I
noticed that their cynOsure was an old gentle.
mat ne was delivering an haranxue. Before I
had proceeded half dozen steps farther their
ranks split suddenly apart an the old centle-
man darling forth, greeted me with an impetu-
Gus salutatiOn.
"The powers be thankedf" he exclaimed.
Eat last We meet again."
he was DIR. David Pexias.