Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-03-26

for you, Christine, who have torn OIL
my mask and who therefore can
never leave me again! AS
long as you thought me handsome you
could have come back, know you
would have come back but
now that you know my hideousness,
you would run away for good. F.. /.
So I shall keep you here Z.
Why did you want to see me? Oh,
mad Christine, who wanted to see me!
When my own father never
saw me and when my mother, so as
not to see me, made me present OF
my first mask
"He had let 60 of me at last and
was dragging himself about on the
floor, uttering terrible sobs. And then
he crawled away like snake, went
into his room, closed the door and left
me alone to my reflections. Presently
I heard the sound of the organ and
then I began to understand Erik's con,
temptuous phrase when he spoke
about opera music. What I now
heard was utterly different from what
l had heard up to then. His Don
Juan Triumphant for | had not
doubt but that he had rushed to his
masterpiece to forget the horror OF
the momenD seemed to me at first
one long, awful, magnificent sob. But,
little by little, 1t expressed every emo.
ton. every suffering of which man.
kind Is capable. 1t intoxicated me;
and l opened the door that separated
us. Erik rose, as l entered, but dared
not turn in my direction. Erik ]
cried, show me your face without
fear! l swear that you are the most
unhappy and sublime of men; and, il
ever again | SILVER when 1 look at
you, it will be because l am thinking
of the splendor of your genius!' Then
Erik turned round, for he believed
me, and l also had faith in myself.
He fell at my feet, with words OF
love with words of love in
his dead mouth and the mu.
sic had ceased He kissed the
hem of my dress and did not see that
! closed my eyes.
What more can I tell you, dear?
You now know the tragedy. 1t went
on for fortnight-a fortnight during
which l lied to him. My lies were as
hideous as the monster who inspired
them; but they were the price OF my
liberty. I burned his mask; and l
SO well that, even when he
was not singing. he tried to catch my
eye, like a dog sitting by it's master. !
He was my faithful slave and paid me
endless little attentions. Gradually,
gave him such confidence that he ven.
tured to take me walking on the
banks Of the lake and to row me in
The boat on it's leaden waters; to.
ward the end of my captivity he let
ne out through the gates that closed |
he underground passages in the Rue
Scribe. Here a carriage awaited us
and took us to the Bots. The night
when we met you was nearly fatal to
ne, for he is terribly jealous Of you
md had to tell him that you were
'oon going away. Then, at
asst, after fortnight of that horrible
captivity. during which I was filled
With pity. enthusiasm. despair and
iorror by turns. he believed me when
said. I will come back!'"
And you went back, Christine"
;roaned Raoul.
Yes. dear. and must tell you that
was not his frightful threats when
citing me free that helped me to
leep my word, but the narrowing sob
which he gave on the threshold OF
he tomb. That sob attached
ne to the unfortunate man more than
myself suspected when saying good.
y to him. Poor Erik! Poor Erik"
"Christine.' said Raoul, rising, you
ell me that you love me: but you had
covered your liberty hardly few
ours before you returned to Erik!
the masked ball!'
Yes: and do you remember those
ours which passed with you, Raoul
F.. to the great danger of both OF
50"
Il doubted your love for me. dur.
lg those hours"
DO you doubt 1t still, Raoul? {.
hen know that each of my visits to
rik increased my horror Of him: for
lch of those visits, instead OF calm
lg him. as hoped. made him mad
18th love! And am so
'ightened so frightened!
you are frightened but do
OH love me? If Erik We're good
'oking, would you love me. Chris
ne?"
She rose in her turn, put her two
arms round the young
ans neck and said:
"Oh. my betrothed of day, if did
Ut love you, would not give you my
ps! Take them, for the first time
I'd the last"
He kissed her lips; but the night
lat surrounded them was rent
;under, they fled as at the approach
storm and their eyes. filled with
cad of Erik. showed them. before
ley disappeared. high up above them.
/ immense night-bird that stared at
lem with its blazing eyes and
,emed to cling to the string OF Apol.
s Tyre.
Ito be continuedi