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

&N &&|N# N*'AN *N
htf. fof see hurried hsf pace ana
Raonls ~ though the{ weFo pelns
nurnuef.
They. vent up two nppra. Here, the
stairs and corridors were almost de-
serted. Tne BLACK domino opened the
door OF Z private box and beekoned
10 the white domino TO follow her.
Then Christine, whom he recognized
by the sound OF her voice. closed the
door behind them and warned him, In
a whisper. 10 remain ct the beck OF
the box and on no account to snow
himself. Raoul took on his mask.
Christine kept hers on. And, wnen
Raoul was about to ask her 10 remove
IL he was surprised to see her put her
ear to the partition and listen eagerly
for n sound outside. Then she opened
the door ajar, looked out into the cor
ridor and, in a low voice. said
"He must have gone up higher"
Suddenly she exclaimed: He is COM
ing down again."
She tried TO close the door, but
RaouI prevented her; for he had seen'
on the top step Of the staircase that
led to the floor above, red foot foF
lowed by another and SLOW
". majestically, the whole scarlet
dress of Red Death met his eyes. And
he once more saw the deaths head OF
Perros-Guirec.
ITS he" he exclaimed. This time,
he shall not escape me! 49,,
But Christine had slammed the door
at the moment when Raoul was on the
point OF rushing out. He tried TO
push her aside.
Whom do you mean by he" " enc
asked, in a changed voice. VINO
shall not escape you"
Raoul tried to overcome the girlH
resistance by force, but she repelled
him with a strength which he would
not have suspected in her. He under
stood, or thought he understood, and
! at once lost his temper.
"Who?" he repeated angrily. "Why,
he. the man who hides behind that
hideous mask of death! The
evil genius OF the churchyard at Per-
ros! Red Death! In
a word, madam, your friend .
your Angel OF Music! But l
shall snatch on his mask, as7I shall
snatch of my own; and, this time, w0
shall look each other in the face, h0
and l, with no veil and no lies be-
tween US; and shall know whom you
love and who loves you!"
I He burst into a mad laugh, while
4 Christine gave a disconsolate moan
behind her velvet mask With tragic
! gesture, she flung out her two arms,
which fixed a barrier of white flesh
against the door.
I'm the name of our love, Raoul,
you shall not pass! :" a
He stopped. What had she said!
In the name Of their love?
Never before had she con-
fessed that she loved him. And yet
she had had opportunities enough
Pooh, her only object was to
gain few seconds! She
wished to give the Red Death time to
escape. And, in accents Of
childish hatred, he said:
"You lie, madam, for you do moi
love me and you have never loved mel
What a poor fellow / must be to lei
you mock and flout me as you nave
done! Why did you give me eVerF
reason for hope, at Perros FOL
honest hope, madam, for | am az
honest man and l believed you to ot
an honest woman, when your only In
tention was to deceive me! Alas, you
have deceived us all! You have tax
en- a shameful advantage Of the can
did affection of your benefactress her
self, who continues to believe IN YOU
sincerity while you go about the opers
ball with Red Death! l De
spise you!
And he burst into tears. She al
lowed him to insult her. She though
OF but one thing, to keep him from
leaving the box.
"You will beg my pardon, one day
for all those ugly words, Raoul. am
when you do shall forgive you"
He shook his head. NO, no, yo1
have driven me mad! When | thin
that | had only one object in life: t.
give my name to an opera wench!"
"Raoul! How can you?
II shall die of shame!" +.
mo, dear, live!" said Christine
grave. and changed voice. "And =.
good-by. Good-by, Raoul =
The boy stepped forward, staggel
ing as he went. He risked one NOR
sarcasm: /.
"Oh, you must let me come and al
plaud you from time to time!"
II shall never sing again, Raoul!"
Really" he replied. still NOR
satirically. so he is taking you Of
the stage: congratulate you!
But we shall meet in the Bots, on
of these evenings"
"Not in the Bots nor anywhere
-