Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-05-01

mine, mine! They we're soft
. they We're sweet! They
trickled under my mask they |
mingled with my tears in my eyes |
. they flowed between my lips. !
Listen, daroga, listen to what
1 did. 1 tore off my mask so
as not to lose one OF her tears i
and she did not run away! i
And she did not die! She re-
manned alive, weeping over me, with |
me. We cried together! have tasted
all the happiness the world can
offer"
And Erik fell into chair, choking
for breath.
"Ah, I am not going to die yet y
presently l shall but let me
cry! Listen, daroga i
listen to this. While was at
her feet I heard her say,
Poor, unhappy Erik And
she took my hand, had be-
come no more, you know, than a poor
dog ready TO die for her. 1
mean it, daroga! I held in
my hand a ring, a plain gold ring
which l had given her which
she had lost and which l had
found again a wedding-ring,
you know. I slipped it into
her little hand and said, There.
Take it! Take it for you
and him! 1t shall be
my wedding-present pres
ent from your poor. unhappy Erik.
1 know you love the boy :.
don't cry any more,' She
asked me, in a very soft voice. what |
meant. Then | made her IN
derstand that, where she was con-
cerned. was only a poor dog, ready
to die for her but that she
could marry the young man when she
pleased, because she had cried with
me and mingled her tears with mine!"
Erik's emotion was so great that he
had TO tell the Persian not to look at
him, for he was choking and must
take on his mask. The daroga went
to the window and opened it. His
heart was full of pity. but he took
care to keep his eyes fixed on the
trees in the Tuileries gardens, lest he
Should see the monsters face.
81 went and released the young
man." Erik continued, and told him
to come with me to Christine. {.
They kissed before me in the Louis
Philippe room. Christine had
my ring. I made Christine
swear to come back, one night, when
was dead, crossing the lake from
the RueScribe side, and bury me in
the greatest secrecy with the gold
ring, which she was to wear until
/ that moment. :. l told her
/ where she would find my body and
what TO do with 1t. Then
/ Christine kissed me- for the first
/ don't look, darCga,-here, on the fore
head on my forehead mine
don't look, daroga!-and they went
/ off together. Christine had stop
/ ped crying. l alone cried.
Daroga, daroga, If Christine
keeps her promise, she will come back
soon!
The Persian asked him no questions
He was quite treasured as TO the fate
Of Raoul Chagny and Christine Daae;
no one could have doubted the WORD
of the weeping Erik that night.
The monster resumed his mask and
collected his strength to leave the
daroga. He told him that, when he
felt his end to be very near at hand
he would send him, in gratitude fol
the kindness which the Persian haC
shown him, that which he held dear
est in the world: all Christine Daae's
papers, which she had written fol
Raouls benefit and left with Erik, to
gether with few objects belonging
to her, such as a pair of gloves, {
shoe-buckle and two pocket-handker
chiefs. In reply to the Persian's ques
lions, Erik told him that the two
young people, as soon as they founC
themselves free, had resolved to e
and look for a priest in some lionel!
spot where they could hide their hap
Illness and that, with this object IL
view, they had started from "tht
northern railway station Of the world
Lastly, Erik relied on the Persian, a.
soon rs he received the promised rel
les and papers, to inform the youn;
couple of his death and to advertise /
in the Epoque.
I That was all. The Persian say
, Erik to the door of his fat, and Dariu
: helped him down to the street. !
, cab was waiting for him. Erik STEP
| ped in; and the Persian, who ha,
, gone back to the window, heard hin
, say to the driver:
60 10 the opera"
, And the cab drove off into the night
t The Persian had seen the poor, un
t fortunate Erik for the last time Thre
. weeks later, the Epoque publishes
this advertisement:
Erik is dead"
THE END.