Arizona republican., 1897-12-11
A LURID SHORT STORY.

over his aching brow, and glided lan- guishingly between the purple DOT tisres. Within was chaos of whirl- ing muslin and hungry faces swim ming on a sea of passionate, throb- bing music. There was a mist before his eyes; grinning heads fioated rest lessly by, gibbering in the shell-like eans of painted women. Amid the fa vered maelstrOm, one figure loomed large and close upon his attention. It was the hostess. A hot wet hand pressed his Law! what quashv' he murmured in her ear, then plung- ed into the stream, and was borne away to the other side of iahe uioom.
 He had stood long buried in pen sive gloom, sometimes on one leg, sometimes on the other. His hair hung dank. The room was deserted. The distant howl and claltter told him that the guests were at supper. He gazed moodily round the gha.tly em- ptiness of the apartment. Then, moved by some impulse, he bent his steps to corner where recess had been fitted for the jaded coytngs of those that could dance no more. Within this cavern all was dark. But as he peered into tine shade Ef it he became aware of two green phosphor- eshent eyes bent upon him from wishin He bowed his head resign edly, and knsw there was no escape. There was spell in those lurid eyes he must obey. He sank upon the sea. beside her and gazed upon her fea- lures. AS he got used to the light he became aware that her face was freckled, with an undercurrent oi livid pink.
 "You are a Basiliskr' he murmur- ed, ingenGng her throi5bing auburn hair
 Dance upon dance they had danced together At times they sat silent his hand in! hers. The intoXi caltion of the Basilisk had entered into his blood. He thought with a passionate regret of the days of his boyhcod. A momient came when her head was turned aside flol fling a word to a bleak-eyed chaperon. He strung his trembling limbs for one last effort and tpttered feebly to the door. He yearn ed for liberty; but the spell was on him as in a dream. While he ! chung trembling to the doorpost 8 voice thrilled across the polished floor, "I see you''-and he knew thai l his opportunity was gone.
 Ut was waltz. Reginald and the I Basilisk danced as wildly as the widest there. Suddenly they paused | beneath the chandelier. Seizing hel i by the chin he gazed into her eyes giddy and uncertain The freckles seemed ito c1iase one another over he1 cheek. She dragged him down ant pressed a dozen warm kisses on hi! lips. "Ybu are mime! mine!" she al most shrieked. Gargoyle faces laugh ed leering out of the circumambien i uncertainty; they wlere dn the fhrons ] of jaded merrymakers, but aloce, oh so alone!
 He was standing by the open win dow with an anaenlic thing in mauv.,
 ''The end of life," she said, "is find Ing pearls in other peoples oysters.
 'Thalt is Ia paradox" he answered
 Truth is a paradox said she. H. looked inquiringly.
 You are am Lbsenist, I see"
 ''The Serpent was an Ibsenite,' sh riplied, with her collected smile.
 "The Sea Serpent?" he queried, anr the muscles of his neck relaxed lit tie. Them. hastily brushing the dew drop from his brow, ""The atmospher is too rarefied for me-" he murmured Again that far-away look i'm his eyes He seemed ito yearn for timing for gotten.
 Suddenly the thing in mauve foun that it stood alone. A troddem twf
 sighed and broke without in the stiff ing summer night. She looiked int fhs garden and saw nothing. On, two green stars seemed to glow mist
 fly out of the gloom beneath tn
 privet-bush. Then a whisper passe
 and died in the treetops, and thos
 green stars were no moreL Reginal
 was gone. He had followed the bale
 full eye EMt into the gloom. There is little house with creep CTS on Clapham Rise. The few pa:
 sengers in the street shrink hurriedl away and pass on. There is no sig of life there. Only sometimes a gree
 gleam from behind the French blind
 and the plash of weary kisses.-Pa Mall Gazette.