The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-09-28
CHAPTER ".
Mr. GREENGRAvEs SHRUGGED Ills sHoUI.-
DERS,

table III an clearinghouse, at which his friend,
Gripper was dining, said in reply to the
others question of what he had done:
Nothing so far. | thought had drop
ped on something and lost itagain. Fooled
away half dayw
There's the night left, though" said
Gripper with smile. "rll be much oblig-
ed to you, my boy, if you are not too tired,
If you will presently pop on your dress
clothes and go to the opera. That's what |
advise you to do; and I've made arrange
ments, you have no objections, for you to be
passed behind the scenes"
ION the same job stll?'
Very much so, my boy. By the way,
trOtted down to the House Of Commons as
we agreed, and made inquiries. FOrlyce
dined there, as he said, but he did not go in
to the smoking-room at all; he left early"
Gripper must have possessed considerable
influence to have obtained admission to the
opera that particular evening, for long be-
fore the doors opened not single seat had
been prOcurabe at the boX-Otces in the
neighborhood And when an elderly gen.
tleman, in spectaces and very palpable
brown wig took his seat at the prompt side
corner of the first row of stalls, and looked
round, every seat in the house appeared to
be occupied.
With powerful glass, to use which he
did not remove the spectac!es, for II the
truth must be told they were but Of the
simple material used for parlor-windows
he saw, too, that, with but one solitary ex.
ception, every private box had its occupants.
| A bright and brilliant asSemblage was there
| gathered together, numbering among it al
most all that was distinguished in the worlds
| of fashion, politics, literature, and art
But gentleman in the palpablewig could
| have told you, III be bound, some strange
and not too pretty stories of the beautiful
| women and ariStocratic men about him, and
have paraded under the broad glare of the
gas, the grizzly bones of skeletons they
fancied safely slowed away under lock and
key, in those most secret cupboardS at home,
for he, watching them by turns with rest.
less eyes, was GreengraveS, eX-pOlicem an,
ex-Spy and infOrmer, ex-conyct, and at the
present time, active partner in a struggling
| private inquiry office,
Surely that Mr.. Greengrayes had no soul
for music might have been inferred from the
fact that although he only arrived in the
middle Of the third act of the opera he did
not occupy himself during the remainder of
1t, or the act succeeding, more than five min
utes at the outside in looking at the stage OF
| listening to the singers; whilst between
the acts, he hurried over to the opposite
side of the stalls the moment that the cur
tain fell, and eagerly scanned the boxes on
the side Of the house where his seat had
been.
In due course, the opera reaching its end,
| the corridors, staircaseS, and crush-roOm
were rapidly crowded with visitors, the
greater part going away, the rest idling
through the brief interval that preceded the
ballet; and cautiously picking his way, Mr..
Greengraves moved to and fro, seemingly
ever on the search for some missing person.
Suddenly the mention of name close to
him caused him to quickly turn and listen.
''What, Sir Richard, We don't often see
you here Think Come to the last night
ell? What splendid form she is in--eh%
''Eh! yes of whom are you speaking?"
"Of Florida, to be sure" said the other,
mentioning the name of the prima-donna
whose farewell benefit it was that evening.
"Oh, to be sure, to be sure. Excuse me, /
have some friends waiting for me-" and
cOldly bowling FOrdyce passed on.
The man who had addressed him turned
to friend with a curious smile
II should like to make bet with YOU"
he said. "I'll lay you ten to one old Boguey
has come to see the ballet"
What, Fordyce? Nonsensew
"Will you take the bet then-ten to one
in sovs.?"
As the baronet passed along through the
crowd. GreengraveS followed him at a safe
distance down narrow staircase and pres
emily saw a box-keeper pass him into the
box that he before had noticed to be stand
ing empty. Having watched the box-keep.
er depart, Mr.. Greengraves cautiously APP
| preached the door, and after gancng round
| to see that he was not observed, applied his
eye to the crevice. No sound was audible
within, and departing on Sip-toe, he hurried
| back to his seat in the stalls.
The great days of ballet at the opera have
long since passed away. OF the fashionable
asSemblage that few minutes ago had
crowded every part of the house. but a
| sprlnkllng remained.
Mr.. Greengraves, however, had taste for
| this kind Of entertainment, and carefully
wiped his opera-glasses with his pocket
handkerchief as the curtain rose, for, ac-
cording to his instructions, his vigil had but
| just commenced.
The ballet opened much after the usual
STYLE with group of nymphs, who, separat-
ing, went through the ordinary terpslchor-
can eyolutons until, of sudden, to loud
crash of music, the premiere ddnseuSe
bounded on to the stage and after a series
of brilliant entrechdts came abruptly as mo-
tionless as statue before the centre foot
light to a faint sound of applause
A fair woman, rather above the middle
height, and superbly formed, with large
lustrous eyes, and bright white teeth gleam-
ing from betwiXt full red lips. Mr.. Green
graves noticed this much, then qucklyturn-
ed and peered into the box whose occupant
had been the object of his search, and there,
holding bouquet which hid the rest Of his
face sat the baronet, his green eyes glitter
ing like those of a rat, his forehead flushed,
and his disengaged hand clutching nervous.
iy the velvet cushion in front of the box.
Even at the moment that Greengraves
looked curiously at him, Sir Richard rose
hastily, and seemingly in tremb!e of OK.
citemeht, hung the bouquet he held upon
the stage. II fell short of the spot at which
; he mad aimed it, and rolled along the boards,
anu III It's progress something white fell
IRON among the howers-evidentlv a three.