Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-03-23
saved, but you will become duke Of

Il
How :? Speak !"
"Seem Indifferent to my remark,
now. my lord. Have you ever heard
Of the Red Death, my lord.
"Never, to my knowledge"
at is briefly this: On the nights Of
festivity figure in red domino and red
mask sits near the duke. At the close
Of the feast this figure shakes hands
with all present, and it is rarely that
some one Of the number does not die
shortly after Does your lordship com-
prehend ?"
II think | do--secret poison"
when this Red Mask takes your
hand on that night, he will leave within
it a paper Of instruction, which you must
find an opportunity TO read in secret
and follow to the letter"
GLOW do you know this ?"
"You shall know il you come"
II will come--though how am I to
know you mean me well 2"
"IfI meant you i'll, my lord, what
need to warn you ?"
"frue-it is enough will be here. I"
Punctual to the appointed time. the
Count Of Palmera appeared at the ban
quet Of the Duke of Francavella. At
the close came the Misunderstanding round
of the dreaded Red Death.
The count. being stranger. seemed
the most Indifferent Of any, as was
natural he should. He poured out more
wine and drank and then seemed to re-
feet. In this mood he held the small
paper which he had just received ia
such a way that he could peruse il with
out being suspected. This paper cou-
tanned these words:
Feign illness and be shown to pri-
vate apartment. | will be there TO COM
plete the design
In few minutes the duke, who had
been furtively watching tho count, re-
marked, with seeming concern, that he
feared his lordship was i'll.
The mobiles exchanged chances. and
each breathed freer as be fancied he
had discovered the victim 10 other than
himself.
But the count, instead Of getting bet
ter, seemed more faint, and his kind
host suggested that he should be shown
to private apartment and his chief ply
sician be summoned
He offered his arm to the count. who
leaned heavily on it, and thus left the
hall. Passing through an ante-room,
they entered one hung with damask and
richly furnished.
The Red Mask, who had left the ban
quoting hall before them, was standing
here as if awaiting their coming. AZ
the duke assisted his guest to the divan
the Red Mask quietly closed and boltsd
the door.
Then, producing small rope with
the slip-knot of hangman. he glided
up to the duke us he bent over the
count, and throwing the moose around
his neck drew it tight and strangled
him before he could comprehend his
murderous design and raise his voice for
help.
When the duke was quite dead, the
mask was removed, and the face Of An
tonic appeared before the count.
"Quick, my lord !" said Antonio, pale
and trembling at what he had doue
'Disrobe, put on the dress Of the duke,
return to the hall and be lord Of the
palace. If you succeed in deceiving the
assembled guests--which | trust your
close resemblance will enable you 10
dove are safe II you fail, we are
lost"
Assisted by Antonio, the Count of
Palmera was soon dressed 10 the gogeous
robes Of the Duke of Francavella, aud
the counterfeit was 80 perfect that none
but wife could have detected the differ
ence.
The plan of the Ubiquitous schemer
succeeded perfectly, and all the guests
that night retired in the belief that the
false duke was the real.
The next day the Count Of Palmera
appeared in St. Marks place and other
parts Of Venice in his proper person.
This destroyed the suspicion that he
had been poisoned, as all at the banquet
believed.
In fact, it was only through the dying
confessions Of the count himself that the
truth came out at all, which many woald
not believe even then.
Long before this event, however, the
Red Death had ceased to appear because
Of the real death Of Antonio, whom his
new master had murdered in turn for
fear Of being himself murdered or be-
trayed by the only one who possessed
bis fatal secret.