San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-11-08

MR.. GREENGRAvEs SHRUGGED HIS sHCUL-
DERS.

graves YEARLY seating himself in front Of a
table in an eatmg-hOuse, at which his friend,
Gripper, was dining, said, in reply b the
others question OF what he hal done:
Nothing so far. | thought had drop
ped on something and lost ii again. Fooled
away half dayv'
There's the night left, though" said
Gripper with smile. I'm 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 10 do; and I've made arrange
ments, you have no objections, for you to be
passed behind the scenes"
"On the same job st.lI?'
VERY much So my boy. By the way, !
trOtted down to the House of Commons as
we agreed, and made inquiries FOrdyce
dined there as he said, but he did not 90 i'll
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 a single seat had
been IrOcurab.e at the bOX-Uffices in the
neighborhOOd. And when an elderly gem
tleman, in spectacles 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 spectaceS, for If the
truth must be told, they were but of the
simple material used for prlOr-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 the gentleman in the palpable wig could
have told you, I'll 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 CupbOaTds at home,
for he, watching them by turns with rest
less eyes, was GreengraveS, eX-pOhcem an,
ex-spy and inform 1T ex-cOnvict, and, at the
present time, active partner in struggling
private inquiry office.
Surely that Mr.. Greengraves 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
ii, 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 Oh
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 a 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
-eh? 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 curious smile.
Il should like to make bet with you,"
he said. iii lay you ten to one old Boguey
has come to see the ballet"
What, Fordyce? Nonsense"
"Will you take the bet, then-ten 10 one
in sovs.?"
As the barOnet passed along through the
crowd, Greengraves followed him at safe
distance DOWN narrow staircase, and pres
emily saw Dox-keeper pass MIN into the
Dox that he Deiore had noticed 10 be stand
ing empty. having watched the oox-keep-
OF depart MI 1reehgraves cautiously APP
. proached tne door, ana alter gianclng round
10 see tiiat he was NOT observed, applied MS
eye 10 tle creVlce. NO SOUND was audible
W'tnih, ana ueparuiig Oh tp-toe' ne hurried
PACK 10 MS seat Ill tne Stalls.
long since nassed away or the faSbionahIe
assembIooe that n few minutes 900 baJ
crowded evcrv mart Of tha honso br, a
snrinklipg remained
Mr. Greencrav bovevar had n ,os,a for
This Kind of entertain,nant ard oarof,,II,,
wined his onera-yIassas With biS ,oat,ai-
bandkercbiaf nc tho curtain roo o. o.
cordinu 10 his instructions his vig;i bad hn,
inst commenced
The ballet onened mucb after tho rsroI
stvIe with proun NJ nvmnbs who sonarat-
i,o want tbrongb ,ba o,di,a,, ,',.,,,iDI,,'.
s' 1,I VOL Po'ohoi