Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-02-16

and knew he was to be murdered. The
main trouble that occupied his mind
was the suffering his murder would
occasion her. He begged her to do all
in her power to forget him.
As was to have been expected, the
spotted death the next morning made
short work of his antagonist, running
him through the heart with ease. The
student expired Immediately. His
comrades regretted the want OF eau
ton that led to his death. and In a
short time he was forgotten.
One night at a masked ball q figure
entered the hall on whose mask was
painted the spotted death. Evidently
an artist had designed the mask, for
nothing could be more horrible. repre-
senting. as it did, a man dying with
the dreaded Asiatic disease. The spots
had been so artistically painted as to
appear those of the veritable infection.
Every one shrank from the loath-
some looking masker, WHO gazed about
the room till his eye fell on a man
dressed as Spanish grandee. then
walked across the floor. every one
Withdrawing before him with a shud.
der, till. reaching the Spanish gentle
man, he stood very close to him and
spat in his face.
Ladies and gentlemen" said the ag-
gressor, I'VE two-I and this man-are
twin brothers We are both the spot
ted death. wear my colors on my
person. his are in his name.''
At receiving the insult the Spaniard
ing himself tore OF his mask and re-
vealed the features OF the duelist who
had killed Edouard lie Fevre.
"Unmask as 1 have done and let me
know who you are" he said to the
man who had spat upon him.
THAT is unnecessary. / am the spot
ted death, the person OF your twelve
victims. The thirteenth is about to
die"
"And he tsp
yourself
Whether 1t was the confident tone In
which the word was spoken or the nv-
i'd agony expressed In the mask the
duelist could not repress slight start.
Enough of this"' he said. "Your
coming here to disturb these festivi-
ties shall be punished. 1 will send a
friend to any address you name"
Pardon me; but. lest the insult
have given you should not be sufficient.
| will duplicate it"
Bending forward quick as lightning
the speaker struck the duelist on the
cheek with the palm OF his hand. A
drop of blood followed the blow. The
duelist did not notice 1t at once. but
in a moment, putting up his hand. he
wiped it away.
your addressw he cried, irritated at
this second insult.
"You shall have It in time. Messieurs
and mesdames, pardon for interrupt
ing your festivities. On with the
dance! 1t is now 10 o'clock. By mid
night or within an hour later my twin
brother shah have my address. l de-
sire to accord him a few hours of mer-
riment before embrace him."
The duelist with difficulty maintained
his composure.
At midnight the jewellers unmasked
The duelist, who after the alteration
had resumed his face covering, on
taking it off a second time was seen
to be suffering He attempted to leave
the hall, but staggered, and before
reaching the floor fell. 1t was no
ticed by those who went to his as
sistance that his face was covered
with spots such as were painted on
the mask of the man who had insult
ed him.
''The spotted deathr' some one ex-
claimed.
Then his enemy, still masked, ap-
peared ON the scene and, bending over
him, said:
II embrace you. my brother"
Then, tearing Off his own mask. In
stead of a mans a woman's face was
revealed-a woman whose rare beau
ty had been marred by suffering.
'You will not need my address," she
said. when l slapped your cheek,
in my palm was a needle on whose
point was the virus of the spotted
death. Your victims. including Edou-
ard lie Fevre. are avenged"
While she spoke the spots on the
mans face grew stronger and its ex-
preston like the mask she had worn.
There was something startling In his
own expression at seeing the change
when she unmasked from the hideous
apparition to the features OF a deli
cate woman who hung over him like
an avenging angel. The disease with
which she had inoculated him works
quickly. and the man was already dy-
ing. She continued to gaze upon him
while his breath grew shorter till at
last he fell back dead In the arms Of
one supporting him.
Helene Boucicault returned stimuli
taneously to her native town with the
news of her avenging act. Paris was
glad TO get rid of the man whom all
, dreaded. and she was never called to
account for her act Bow she tracked
her lovers murderer. prepared fc9 her
work. she never told. for she never
poke Of the tragedy in any part. She
; dyed many years. some asserting that
I she had become demented by being
robbed Of her lover. others claiming
2 that she was mentally sound,
III FL To - ~.sz&