Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-04-25
cHAPTER xvi.
The safsty-PIn Again.

MOucuhfmluB ihbI puTdbe 30 CioAFly
expressed the suspicion in which he
now held his partner that Il waf
bound TO cause a stormy explanation
at the end OF which II was agreed that
Richard should yield to all Monchar
minis wishes, with the object OF help
ing him TO discover the miscreant
who was victlmizing them.
This brings us to the interval after
the Garden Act. with the strange con
duct observed by NJ. Remy and those
curious lapses from the dignity that
might be expected OF the managers,
II was arranged between Richard and
Moncharmin, first, that Richard should
repeat the exact movements which he
had made on the night of the disap
pearance OF the first twenty-thousand
francs; and, second, that Moncharmln
should not for an instant lose sight
of Richards coat-tail pocket, into
which Name CRY was to slip the
twenty-thousand francs.
M. Richard went and placed him.
self at the identical spot where he
had stood when he bowed to the un-
der-secretary for fine arts. M. Mon.
charmin took up his position a few
steps behind him.
Name CRY passed, rubbed up
against NJ Richard, got rid Of her
twenty-thousand francs in the mana
gers coat-tail pocket and disappeared.
Or, rather, she was conJured
away. In. accordance with the instruc.
lions received from Moncharmin few
minutes earlier, MERCER took the
good lady to the acting-manager's
office and turned the key on her, thus
making 1t impossible for her to com.
municate with her ghost
Meanwhile, M. Richard was bending
and bowling and scraping and walking
backward, just as ii he had that high
and mighty minister, the under-secre-
tary for fine arts, before him. Only,
though, these marks Of politeness
would have created no establishment
If the under-secretary of state had
really been in front of M. Richard,
they caused an easily comprehensive
amazement to the spectators of this
very natural but quite inexplicabIe
scene when M. Richard had nobody in
front of him.
M. Richard bowed to mo-
body; bent his back before
nobody; and walked backward !.
steps behind him, M. Moncharmin did
the same thing that he was doing, in
addition to pushing away M. Remy
and begging M. de La Borderie, the
ambassador and the manager OF the
Credit Central, mot to touch NJ. lie
directeur."
Moncharmin, who had his own
ideas. did not want Richard to come
to him presently, when the twenty
thousand francs were gone, and say:1
Perhaps it was the ambassador
or the manager OF the Credit
Central or Remy."
The more so as, at the time OF the
first scene, as Richard himself admit
ted, Richard had met nobody in that
part of the theater after Name Giry
had brushed up against him.
Having begun by walking backward
In order to bow Richard continued to
do so from prudence, until he reach.
ed the passage leading to the OF.
fees of the management. In this way
he was constantly watched by Mon.
charmin from behind and himself
kept an eye on any one approaching
from the front. Once more, this
novel method Of walking behind the
Escenes, adopted by the managers OF
our National Academy Of Music, at
tracted attention; but the managers
themselves thought of nothing but
their twenty-thousand francs.
On reaching the half-dark passage,
Richard said to Moncharmin, in low
voice:
II am sure that nobody has touched
me. You had now better keep
at some distance from me and watch
me till | come to the door OF the Of.
fee: It is better not to arouse suspl'
cion and we can see anything that
happens"
buJ MOHC1AHmAh AOPAAOAp @NSb 80
ard. no! You walk ahead and III
walk Immediately behind you! Iwont
leave you by step!"
but, in that case" exclaimed Ricn
ard, they will never steal our twenty
thousand francs!"
II should hope not, indeed" de-
clared Moncharmin.
Then what We are doing IL aD-
plrd!"
I'VE are doing exactly what we did
last time. Last time, l joined
YOU as you were leaving the stage
and followed close behind you down
this passage.
That's true!" sighed Richard, shak
ing his head and passively obey1ne
Moncharmin.
Two minutes later, the joint man
ayers locked themselves into their
once. Moncharmin himself put the
key in his pocket:
1--WE remained locked UP ike this,
last time" he said, until you left
the opera to go home
THAT'S 30. No one came and ais
AurRnd ma I auupose9"