The professional world. (Columbia, Mo.) 1901-192?, 1902-08-08
week. saving she was going to loaYe the

week, saying she was going to leave the
city for a rest.
"A few days later | happened TO be
in one of the shabbiest parts of town,
and there met a woman whose resem-
blance to the danver was so striking
that | turned and looked after her as
she passed me. She went into a miser-
able looking hovel and, as I loitered
near, hoping to solve the mystery. she
came out again, and walked swiftly by
me. This time | was convinced that it
was Antonina. Much puzzled at her
THE salas were crowded with a brill
liant assembly. Scores of beautiful
women, and the handsome Spanish Off
GERS in their SNOWY uniforms, mingled
with the more sober dress of our coun-
try, gave a most picturesque effect to
the scene 1t was nearly midnight
when the dancer arrived. She had
driven directly from the theater, and
was attired in a most magnificent cos
tune, while on her breast glittered the
Ruiz diamond. AS she came into the
ballroom, she was greeted with braves
and was showered with lowers. She
paused a moment on the threshold, and
responded with a faint, half hooking
smile. Then slowly raising her arms,
she stepped forward. Instantly the or
chestra struck up with the passionate
music of FL Sol, and the guests drew
away from the center of the room, leav-
ing her standing in a blaze of color and
jewels-alone on the polished floor.
81 will not attempt to describe the
dance. We watched her with deep
drawn breaths, and dizzy brains, as she
whirled herself from the lazy languor
of the beginning to the mad abandon
at the end. Ruiz, unable to contain his
emotions. caught up a flower that had
dropped from her hair. and. unmindful
of observers. kissed it. She saw the
action, and with "A sidelong glance tore
the scarlet scarf from her waist, and,
still dancing. threw it over his neck
Something cleaned in her hand, and
some instinct warned me of mischief
/ stepped to Ruiz's side. Antonina
stretched out her hand, and held me
back, and If ever l saw the devil look
out from a woman's eyes, I saw it shin
ing then between her helf closed lips
"'Adios, companeros,' she said ir
clear, ringing tones, 4 go to wait fol
you in hell
With a swift motion she buried the
dagger, which had been concealed in
her hand, in her heart and as the last
strains of the music died away she fell
appearance in such a place, | followed
her, but soon she disappeared down a
narrow side street. and being unfamil-
lar with that part of the town, | lost
track of her.
Next day l was called away from the
city, and when I returned | found the
social world in a state of expectation
ever a grand reception to be given by
General Ruiz in honor of some of the
American officers. The chief attraction
was the announcement that Antonins
had been engaged to dance for the en-
tertainment of the guests. l deter
mined to accept my invitation, as the
woman possessed a great attraction fol
me. | vas present at the reception.
to the floor, the wicked smile frozen or
her mouth.
"Three weeks later. General Ruiz an(
every one of his subordinate officers
died of the most malignant kind q
smallpox. Antonina had searched un
til she had found a case, as we after
ward discovered-had exposed San
CHEFS sword belt to the infection, ant
thus carried the infection to Ruiz, gain
ing a vengeance which few brains coulC
have evolved. She had loved the mai
whose life she had sold for a jewel"
"Why did she take her life?" ques
toned Lester.
That" answered Brown, was
: phase of her character which l foun,
had to understand, though | believ
that she preferred death to the loss O
her charms. and knew that she surel.
must have had the dread disease her
self. To me the most wonderful thin.
!, about her was that she could love 81
intensely. and never by word or sign be
tray herself. even when she say him die
and knew that she was responsible 70
his death. That is something | hav
+ never seer in any other woman, ant
gave evidence of a will that could hav,
moved empires, had it not spent all it
energy on one man."