Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-03-12
he once more saw the death's mead d

he once more saw the deaths head OF
Perros.Gu!rec.
cts he" he exclaimed. This time,
he shall not escape me- -
But Christine had slammed the door
at the moment when Reoul was on the
point OF rushing cut. He tried to
push her aside.
Whom do YOU mean by 'he?'" she
asked, in changed voice. who
shall not escape your"
Raoul tried to overcome the girls
resistance by force, but she repealed
him with strength which he would
not have suspected in her. He under
stood, or thought he understood, and
at once lost his temper.
"Who2" he repeated angrily. "Why.
he, the man who hides behind that
hidecus mask OF death! The
evil genius Of the churchyard at Per-
rcs, Red Death, In
q word madam, your friend {.
your Angel Of Music, BIT l
ehall snatch off his mask, as I shall
snatch off my own, and, this time, we
shall look each ether in the face, he
and I, with no veil and no lies be-
tween us; and shall know whom you
love and who loves you"
He burst into mad laugh. while
Christine gave disconsolate moan
behind her velvet mask With tragic
gesture. she flung out her two arms.
which fixed barrier of white flesh
against the door.
I'm the name Of our love, Raoul.
you shall not pass! :"
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 a 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 not
love me and you have never loved me!
What poor fellow I must be to let
you mock and fiout me as you have
done! Why did you give me every
reason for hope, at Perros for
honest hope. madam. for I am an
honest man and I believed you to be
an honest woman, when your only in,
tention was to deceive me. Alas, you
have deceived us all! You have TAX.
en- shameful advantage of the can
did affection OF your benefactress her.
u,hO ~ n
sincerity while you go about the opera
ball with Red Death! l de-
sQise you!
And he burst into tears. She al.
lowed him to insult her. She thought
of but one thing. to keep him from
leaving the box.
you will beg my pardon. one day,
for all those ugly words. Raoul. and
when you do shall forgive you'll"
He shook his head. mo, no, you
have driven me mad! When I think
that had only one object in life: to
give my name to an opera wench!"
"Raoul! How can you?"
II shall die Of shame!"
mo, dear. live!" said Christine's
grave and changed voice. And
good-by. Good-by, Raoul -
The boy stepped forward. stagger-
ing as he went. He risked one more
sarcasm:
ooh. you must let me come and ap.
plaud you from time to time!"
Il shall never sing again, Raoul!"
"Really?" he replied. still more
satirically. 80 he is taking you of
the stage; I congratulate you! :.
But we shall meet in the Bots, one
of these evenings"
Not in the Bots nor anywhere,
Raoul; you shall not see me again"
May one ask at least to what dark
ness you are returning? For
what hell are you leaving, mysterious
lady or for what paradise?"
Il came to tell you, dear. but
can't tell you now you would
not believe me! You have lost faith
in me. Raoul: 1t Is finished"
She spoke In such despairing voice
that the lad began to feel remorse for
his cruelty.
But look here!" he cried. Cant
you tell me what all this means!
/. You are free. there is no one
to interfere with you. You go
about Paris. You put on q
domino to come to the ball. .
Why do you not go home? i
What have you been doing this past
fortnight? What Is this tale
about the Angel Of Music. which you
have been telling Mamma Valerius?
Some one may have taken you in,
played upon your innocence. l was a
witness of 1t myself. at Perros :.
but you know what to believe nowi
You seem to me quite sensible, Chris
tine. You know what you are doing
And meanwhile Mamma Va
lerius lies waiting for you at home
and appealing to your good genius!'
Explain yourself. Christine. I
beg of you! Any one might have been
deceived as I was. What Is this
farce?"
Christine simply took off her mask
and said: Dear, 1t is a tragedy"
Raoul now saw her face and could
not restrain an exclamation of sur.
prise and terror. The fresh COM
plexion of former days was gone. A
mortal pallor covered those features.
which he had known so charming and
so gentle. and sorrow had furrowed
them with pitiless lines and traced
dark and unspeakably sad shadows
under her eyes.
''My dearest! My dearest!" he