Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-04-11
CHAPTER XIV.

shouting and hustling one another.
what became Of herr
"Shes run away"
with the vicomte de Chagny. OF
counsel"
mo. with the count"
"Ah, here's Carlotta! CarlOtta did
the trick!"
mo, It was the ghost!"
And a few laughed, especially as a
careful examination of the trap-doors
and boards had put the idea OF an ac-
cident out OF the question.
Amid this noisy throng, three men
stood talking in low voice and with
despairing gestures. They were Ca
bHel, the chorus-master; Mercier, the
acting.manager; and Remy, the secre-
tary. They retired to corner OF the
lobby by which the stage communi-
Gates with the wide passage leading
to the foyer of the ballet. Here they
stood and argued benind some enor-
nous properties"
81 knocked at the door," said Remy.
''They did not answer Perhaps they
are not in the ONCE. In any case, it's
impossible to find out, for they took
the keys with them"
"They" were obviously the man.
ayers, who had given orders, during
the last entr' acte, that they were not
to be disturbed on any pretext what
ever. They were not in to anybody.
"All the same" exclaimed Gabriel,
"a singer isn't run away with, from
the middle of the stage, every day."
did you shout that to them?"
asked Mercier, impatiently.
"TIl go back again." said Remy, and
disappeared at a run.
Thereupon the stage-manager ar
rived.
well. M. Mercier, are you coming?
What are you two doing here? You're
wanted, Mr.. Acting Manager"
II refuse to know or to do anything
before the commissary arrives" de-
clared MERCER. Il have sent for
Mifroid. We shall see when he
comes!"
And tell you that you ought to
90 down TO the organ at once" Y
mot before the conmissary comes"
eve been down to the organ my
self already"
"Ah! And what did you sect"
well, saw nobody! Do you hear
nobody"
what do you want me to go down
there fort"
you're right" said the stage-man-
aver. frantically pushing his hands
through his rebellious hair. You're
right! But there might be some one
at the organ who could tell US how
the stage came to be suddenly dark
ened. Now Mauclair is nowhere to
be found. Do you Understand that?
Mauclair was the gas-man. who dis
pensed day and night at will on the
stage of the opera.
"Mauclair is not to be found!" re-
peated MERCER, taken abacK. well,
what about his assistants?"
There's no Mauclair and no assist
ants! No one at the lights. tell
you! You can imagine" roared the
stage-manager, "that that little girl
must have been carried on by some
body else; she didn't run away by
herself! It was calculated stroke
and we have to find out about it.
And what are the managers doing all
this time? gave orders that
NO one was to go down to the lights
and | posted fireman in front OF
the gas-man's box beside the organ.
Wasn't that rightr'
''Yes, yes, quite right, quite right
And now let's wait for the commits
sary." :
The stage-manager walked away,
Struggling his shoulders, tuning. mutt
tering insults at those milksops who
remained quietly souatting in a cor
ner while the whole theater was t0pGy-
turvy.
Gabriel and Mercier were not 90
quiet as all that, Only they had r.
ceived an order that paralysed them.
The managers were not to be dis
tuFbed on any account. Remy had
violated that order and met with no
success.
At that moment he returned from
his new expedition. wearing q curl.
ously startled air. Ef
We'll. have yoa seen them3" asked
Mefelof. ~ "f
"AEone1armin opened the door &C
last. His eyes were starting out Of
his head. thought he meant to
strike ne. ! coHld not get word In;
and what do yoR think he shouted at
tzsP HAVE ron q safety7pinF NOT
Wei. then. clear Outl' ] tried 70 tell
him that an unhsard-of thing had hap
pened on the stage. but he reared. A
aafoty-plnl Give me . safetypin at
onceF A boy heard htm-he was bel
lowing IKE q bnII--ran up with q
safety-pin and gave It to him, where
upon Moncharmin slammed the door
a. nv fara and fhara v0u arai"