Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-05-28

Thereupon he rose, without any fur.
Their explanation, and disappeared
| once more.
The Persian now looked at Chris.
tines quiet profile under the lamp
She was reading tiny book, with gilt
edges, like religious book. There
are editions of The Imitation that look
like that The Persian still had in
his ears the natural tone in which the
other had said, ito please my wife. "
Very gently, he called her again; but
Christine was wrapped up in her
book and did not hear him.
Erik returned, mixed the daroga a
draft and advised him not to speak to
"his wife" again nor to any one, be.
cause it might be very dangerous to
everybody's health.
Eventually, the Persian fell asleep,
like M. de Chagny, and did not wake
until he was in his own room, nursed
by his faithful Darius, who told him
that, on the night before, he was
found propped against the door OF his
fiat, where he had been brought by q
stranger, who rang the bell before go
Ing away.
Az soon as the daroga recovered bis
strength and his wits, he sent to
Count Philippe's house to inquire after
the viscount's health. The answer
was that the young man had not been
seen and that Count Philippe was
dead. His body was found on the
bank OF the opera lake, on the Rue
Scribe side The Persian remembered
the requiem mass which he had heard
from behind the wall Of the torture
chamber, and had no doubt concern
ing the crime and the criminal.
Knowing Erik as he did, he easily re-
constructed the tragedy. Thinking
that his brother had run away with
Christine Daae, Philippe had dashed
in pursuit of him along the Brussels
Road, where he knew that everything
was prepared for the elopement. Fail.
ing to find the pair, he hurried back
to the opera, remembered Raouls
strange confidence about his fantastic
rival and learned that the viscount
had made every effort to enter the
cellars of the theater and that he had
disappeared, leaving his hat in the
prima donna's dressing-room beside
an empty pistol-case. And the count,
who no longer entertained any doubt
of his brothers madness, in his turn
darted into that Internal underground
maze. This was enough, in the Per-
slams eyes, to explain the discovery
of Count de Chagny's corpse on the
shore of the lake, where the siren,
Erik's siren, kept watch.
The Persian did not hesitate. He
determined to inform the police. Now
the case was in the hands of an ex-
amining-m magistrate called Faure, an
incredulous, commonplace, superficial
sort OF person Il write as I think,
with mind utterly unprepared to re-
ceive a confidence of this kind. M.
Faure took down the daroga's deposit
tons and proceeded to treat him as q
mailman.
Despairing of ever obtaining hear
Ing, the Persian sat down to write.
AS the police did not want his evil
dence, perhaps the press would be |
glad Of 1t; and he had just written
the last line of the narrative ! have
quoted in the preceding chapters,
when Darius announced the visit OF a
stranger who refused his name, who
would not show his face and declared
simply that he did not intend to leave
the place until he had spoken to the
1aroga.
The Persian at once felt who his
singular visitor was and ordered him
% be shown In. The daroga was
light. 1t was the ghost, it was Erik!
He looked extremely weak and
eaned against the wall, as though he
we're afraid Of falling. Taking on his
lat, he revealed forehead white as
wax. The rest of the horrible face
vas hidden by the mask.
The Persian rose to his feet as Erik
uttered.
Murderer of Count Philippe. what
lave you done with his brother and
christine Daae?"
Erik staggered under this direct at.
ack. kept silent for moment,
ragged himself to chair and heaved
J deep sigh. Then, speaking in short
'hrases and gasping for breath be.
ween the words:
"Daroga, don't talk TO me
bout Count Philippe. He
vas dead by the time
left my house he was dead
when the siren sang
It was an accident
sad very sad
accident He fell very awk.
7ardly but simply and nat.
rally into the lake! :"
You lie!" shouted the Persian.
Erik bowed his head and said:
Il have not come here to
ak about Count Philippe but
D tell you that I am going
to die.
Where are Raoul de Chagny and
christine Daae?"
Il am going to die. -
"Raoul de Chagny and Christine
'aae?"
"Of love daroga
am dying OF love.
hat Is how 1t Is. loved her
D! And love her still
aroga =. and I am dying OF
we for her, tell you!
II you knew how beautiful she
as when she let me kiss
er alive. It was the
rst time. daroga. the first