Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-04-06

time, too! And then. they walk back.
ward"
Backward, You have seen our
managers walk backward? Why,
thought that only crabs walked back.
ward"
Don't laugh, Gabriel; don't Taught"
I'm not laughing" protested Ga,
briel, looking as solemn as a judge.
Perhaps you can tell me this, Ga
briel, as you're an intimate friend of
the management: When / went up TO
II. Richard. outside the foyer. during
the Garden interval, with my hand
out before me, why did NJ. Monchar.
min hurriedly whisper to me, Go
away! Go away! Whatever you do,
don't touch NJ. lie directeur!' Am l
supposed to have an infectious dis
eSse?"
It's incredible!"
And. a little later, when NJ. de La
Borderie went up to NJ. Richard, didn't
you see NJ. Moncharmin fling himself
between them and hear him exclain,
NJ rambassadeur. entreat you not
to touch NJ. lie directeur"
ITS terrible! And what
was Richard doing meanwhile?"
What was he doing? Why. you
saw him! He turned about. bowed
in front Of him, though there was no
body in front of him, and withdrew
backward"
Backward"
And Moncharmin, behind Richard,
IL 1hN hnf 60 hn
scribed a semi-circle behind Richard
and also walked backward! .
And they went like that TO the stair
case leading to the managers office:
backward, backward. backward!
Well, if they are not mad, will you
explain what it means?"
Perhaps they were practicing a
figure in the ballet" suggested Ga
briel, without much conviction in his
voice.
The secretary was furious at this
wretched joke, made at so dramatic a
moment. He knit his brows and con
tracted his lips. Then he put his
mouth to Gabriers ear:
Don't be so sly, Gabriel. There
are things going on for which you and
MERCER are pa-.ly responsible"
What do you mean?" asked Gabriel
Christine Daae is not the only one
who suddenly disappeared tonight"
"Oh, nonsense"
There's no nonsense about it. Per
haps you can tell me why, wheI
Mother CRY came down to the foye
just now, MERCER took her by thu
hand and hurried her away With him?
"Really?" said Gabriel, 81 neve
saw it,
You did see it, Gabriel, for yo'
went with Mercier and Mother Cir
TO Mercier's office. Since then, 20
and MERCER have been seen, but n
one has seen Mother Giry."
DO you think we've eaten herr"
mo, but you've locked her up /
the office; and any one passing tn
office cal hear her yelling, oh, tn
scoundrels! Oh, the scoundrels!
At this point of this singular col
versation, MERCER arrived, all out {
breath.
4 'There!" he said, in a gloomy voic
, Its worse than ever!
/. shouted, IT S a serious matter! Ope
! the door! It's I, Mercier.' I hear
d footsteps. The door opened and Mo-
charmin appeared. He was very pal
He said. What do you want?' l a
swered, Some one has run away wit
n Christine Daae' What do you thin
: he said? And a good job, too!' Ar
he shut the door, after putting tn
/. in my hand"
&c MERCER opened his hand; Remy an
r. Gabriel looked,
q THE safety-pin!" cried Remy.
Strange! Strange!" muttered q
n briel. who could not help shivering.
Suddenly a voice made them a
n three turn round.
II beg pardon, gentlemen. Coul
r. you tell me where Christine Daae is,
= In spite OF the seriousness of II
9 circumstances, the absurdity of tt
l. question would have made them TO;
with laughter, if they had not caugi
sight of face so sorrow stricken thi
;, they were at once seized with pity.
r, was the Vicomte Raoul de Chagny.