Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-05-28

Tho End Of the Ghosts Love Story.
The previous chapter marks the
conclusion of the written narrative
which the Persian left behind him.
Notwithstanding the horrors of a
situation which seemed definitely to
abandon them to their deaths, NJ. de
Chagny and his companion were saved
by the sublime devotion of Christine
Daae. And had the rest of the story
from the lips OF the daroga himself.
When ! went to see him, he was
still living in his little fiat in the
Rue de Rivoli. opposite the Tuileries
He was very Ill, and it required all
my ardor as an historian pledged to
the truth to persuade him to live the
Incredible tragedy over again for my
| benefit. His faithful old servant Da-
| RUS showed me in to him. The daroga
received me at a window overlooking
the garden OF the Tuileries. He still
had his magnificent eyes, but his poor
face looked very worn. He had shaved
the whole of his head, which was
usually covered with an astrakhan
cap; he was dressed in q long, plain
coat and amused himself by uncon.
sciously twisting his thumbs inside
the sleeves; but his mind was quite
clear, and he told me his story with
perfect lucidity.
1t seems that. when he opened his
eyes, the daroga found himself lying
on bed. NJ. de Chagny was on q
sofa, beside the wardrobe. An angel
and devil were watching over them
After the receptions and illusions
Of the torture-chamber, the precision
Of the details of that quiet little mid
dle-class room seemed to have been
invented for the express purpose OF
puzzling the mind of the mortal rash
enough to stray into that abode OF
living nightmare. The wooden bed
stead. the waved mahogany chairs.
the chest of drawers, those brasses.
the little square antimacassars care
fully placed on the backs of the chairs,
the clock on the mantelpiece and the
Misunderstanding ebony caskets at
either end. lastly, the whatnot filled
with shells, with red pin-cushions.
with mother-of-pearl boats and an
enormous ostrich-egg, the whole dis
creetly lighted by shaded lamp
standing on small round table: this
collection OF ugly, peaceable, reason
able furniture, at the bottom OF the
opera cellars, bewildered the imagina-
ton more than all the late fantastic
happenings.
And the figure of the masked man
seemed all the more formidable in
this old-fashioned, neat and trim lit.
tie frame. 1t bent down over the Per
sian and said, in his ear:
"Are you better, daroga?
You are looking at my furniture?
1t Is all that have left of
my poor unhappy mother"
Christine Daae did not say word;
she moved about noiselessly, like q
sister Of charity, who had taken
vow Of silence. She brought a cup OF
cordial. or Of hot tea. he did not re-
member which. The man In the mask
took 1t from her hands and gave 1t to
the Persian. NJ. de Chagny was still
sleeping.
Erik poured drop Of rum into the
daroga's cup and, pointing to the Wis
count, said:
HE came to himself long before
we knew If you were still alive.
daroga. He is quite we'll. He ia
asleep. We must not wake him."
Erik left the room for a moment.
and the Persian raised himself on his
elbow, looked around him and saw
Christine Daae sitting by the tireside
He spoke to her, called her, but he
was still very weak and fell back on
his pillow. Christine came to him,
laid her hand on his forehead and
went away again. And the Persian
remembered that, as she went, she did
not give O glance at NJ. de Chagny.
who, it Is true, was sleeping peace.
fully; and she sat down again in her
chair by the chimney corner, silent as
q sister of charity who had taken a
vow of silence.
Erik returned with some little bot.
ties which he placed on the mantel-
piece. And, again in whisper. 40 as
not to wake NJ. de Chagny. he said