Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-07-06
DAILY STORK
REVENGE FROM BEYOND GRAVE.

y
lean in Paris, strolled down the boule
ward in evening dress and light over
coat on his arm to the Place de rOpera.
He bought a seat in the parquet and
before the curtain rose glanced at the
boxes to see if any of his friends were
present. All were occupied by stran-
gers to him except one, and that was
empty.
During the last act, while the audi
ence was intent on what was taking
place on the stage, something-he knew
| not what-impelled him to glance aside
at the empty box. Though he had no
ticed it moment before and saw that
no one was In it, now Il woman's race
protruded from behind side curtain,
the eyes bent eagerly upon him with
| every evidence of distress.
| Waterman was not the man to de
| cline what he regarded an invitation
and without waiting for the perform
| ance TO finish left his seat and in
few minutes stood before the door of
! the box in question. He did not need
| to knock for il opened noiselesSly, and,
! entering, he took Il seat beside the
| lady.
do not think evil of me-" she said.
! Il am suffering and wish to leave this
place / must have an escort, and, see
| ing you i'll the audience, feeling that l
| could trust you. and catching your eye,
| virtually invited you TO come to me-"
DO You wish to go nOw:' he asked
AT once"
They rose, Waterman helped her on
with a light wrap, she took his arm and
~, I,c1 oil
| Il carriage.
81 need fresh air." she said. May
we not walk? 2"
Certainly. if you desire it. I sup
posed you were ILL"
Not so i'll but that I can walk
home" she said.
Indeed. it seemed to the American
| that she was as light as feather.
Her hand pressed so softly on his arm
that at times he thought she had with
drawn it. Once while passing under 4
street lamp he failed to see her shadow
beside his own. He turned to see if
she had not slipped away from him,
but she was still there. He looked
again for the missing shadow, but
they had passed out of range Cf the
| lamplight.
There was an odOr about his COM
panion that he could not account for
an odor of dampness, of water such as
one often gets from a. river. especially
| river flowing through a,city.
\ third singular featuretwaS that now
and again he thought heIheard some
| thing rolling on the pavement behind
him. Twice he looked back TO see, but
| there was nothing there.
Presently the lady guided her at
tendant from the boulevard into side
street that was taken up with dwell
ings. and. after pursuing lit for a few
| blocks, she turned and mounted the
steps of a stone front mansion.
Quick" she said, I'm fainting"
and fell into his arms. The door open
| ed at Il touch, and he carried her in.
Upstairs TO my bedroom" she
gasped.
Taking her up to the second story,
he entered Il room the door OF which
stood open and laid her on the bed;
| then he went to call for assistance,
but no one replied; the house was
empty. He went back toithe bed and
laid his hand on the woman, who by
| this time was stiff and stark. Indeed
it seemed to him that she had been
dead some hours
At that moment Il key was put into
| the lock of the front door and some
one came in. Waterman looked over
| the banister and saw man in evening
dress. Waterman went down, and
when the man saw him he staggered
back.
The LADY, said Waterman. She is
up in her ROOM
What Lady," gasped the man.
Il don't know. She asked me tO>See
her home. She is lying on her bed.E /
fear it is all over with her. Come"
The man shrank back. Waterman
took him by the arm, supported him
upstairs, and they entered the bed
room.
The man gave shrek and fell on
the floor
"Elsier' he cried. ooh, why did l
do it? You have come from your bed
at the bottom of the Seine to mock
me. l smell the water. 1 see the stone
l tied about your waisty'
From this he went offtinto incoherent
cries and mutterings.
Waterman, as soon, as he could col
lttI lib ldtuitltS, up a iSiS
phone and called for the police. In
few minutes party of gendarmes
drove up in wagon stopping before
the house. Waterman, who was now
trembling in every fiber, went down
and let them in.
"a very singular thing has\occurred."
he said. II don't Understandable. There
is a dead woman upstairs. I.met her
at the opera and shesasked me<to bring
her home. 1 did SO, put her on her
bed, and she died before I could sum-
mon assistance"
He led the way upstairs. There lay
the man on the fioort glaring land NUT
tering., They turnedSto the bed.
1t was empty.