Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-03-07

ChFtNftWM Simply togh On 1&t 1865
and aald: ..Dear, Il A. a tragedy lEisa
RaouI now saw her face and could
not restrain an exclamation OF sur
prise and terror The fresh com
plexlon OF former days was gone. A
mortal paIlor covered those features,
which he had known so charming ana
No gentle, and sorrow had furrowed
,hem with pitiless lines and traced
dark and unspeakably sad shadows
under her eyes.
my dearesti My dearest!" he
no. ned, holding out his arms. you
pro missed TO forgive me
oerhapsl Some day. per
haps!" she said. resuming her mask;
and she went away, forbidding him,
with a gesture, to follow her.
He tried to disobey her; but she
turned round and repeated her gesture
OF IA ,eweIl with such authority that
he dsred not move a step.
He watched her till she was out OF
sigh Then he also went down among
the crowd. hardly knowing what he
was doing, with throbbing temples
and an aching heart; and. as ne
crossed the dancing-fioor, he asked II
anybody had seen Red Death. Yes,
every one had seen Red Death; out
Raou' could not find him; and, at two
o'clock in the morning, he turned
down the passage, behind the scenes,
that led to Christine Daae's dressing
room.
His footsteps took him to that room
where he had first known suffering.
He tapped at the door. There was no
answer. He entered, as he had en-
tered when he looked everywhere Tor
"the mans voice." The room was
empty. A gas-jet was burning, turned
down low. He saw some writing-pa-
per en- little desk. He thought OF
writing to Christine, but he heard
steps in the passage. He had only
time to hide In the inner room, which
was separated from the dressing
room by curtain.
Christine entered, took OF her mask
Nth a weary movement and flung 1t
on tie table. She sighed and let ner
urett head fall into her two hands.
Wha' was she thinking of? or Raoul!
No, for Raoul heard her murmur:
"Poc Erik"
At first, he thought he must be mis-
takel. To begin with, he was per-
suaded that, If any one was to be
utied. 1t was he, Raoul. 1t would
have been quite natural If she had
SAID, Poor Raoul," after what had
naopened between them. But, shak-
lrg her head, she repeated, Poor
Erik!"
What had this Erik to do with
Christine's signs and why was she
p1tyirg Erik when Raoul was so I'M
happy?
Christine began to write, deliberate
ly. calmly and so placidly that Raoui'
who was still trembling from the ef-
fects of the tragedy that separated
them, was painfully impressed.
What coolness" he said to him.
self.
She wrote on, filling two, three, four
sheets. Suddenly, she raised her
mead and hid the sheets in her bodice
She seemed to be listening
Raoul also listened.
Whence came that strange sound, that
distant rhythm? l. A faint sing
ing seemed to issue from the walls
yes, 1t was as though the walls
themselves were singing! Inc
song became palmer ne
he heard a voice, very beautiful
very soft, very captivating voice
but, for all its softness, 1t re-
NAMED a male voice. The voice
came nearer and nearer II
came through the wall II ap
preached and now the voice
was in the room, in front Of Christine
Christine rose and addressed the
voice, as though speaking to some
one:
Here am, Erik" she said. Il an
ready. But you are late
Raoul, peeping from behind the cur
tain, could not believe his eyes, which
showed him nothing. Christmas face
lit up. A smile OF happiness appeared
upon her bloodless lips.
The voice without body went OF
singing; and certainly Raoul had
never in his life heard anything more
absolutely and heroically sweet, mor'
gloriousIy insidious, more delicate
more powerful, in short, more irresis
tibly triumphant. He listened to- !
in a fever and he now began to un
derstand how Christine DaAe was abb
to appear one evening, before tn
stupefied audience, with accents OF
beauty hitherto unknown, of a super
human exaltation, while doubtless still
under the influence of the mysteriou
and invisible master.
The voice was singing the Wedding
night Song from Romeo and Juliet
Raoul saw Christine stretch out he
arms to the voice as she had done, Il