The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-13
CHAPTER l..
N the Diamond IHerseshoe.

IN tNe DidfnoOu F1cTsSsUOCs
A girls scream clashed with the
sopranos high note in the Jewel
Song, and in moment the MetrOpoli-
tan Opera House was in confusion.
The cry, half suppressed, broke the
spell peculiar to a Faust" night. The
somewhat portly Marguerite, her
voice soaring like cage-born bird
suddenly freed, was decking her ma
ture person with the glistening stage
gems left on her scenic doorstep by
the suavest of devils. AS the singer
hung about her neck the rope OF pearls
with which Mephisto planned to fet-
ter her soul, Mrs. Missioner swinging
her fan with a freer motion, struck
the slenderest part of her diamond
collarette. The blow was sharp. The
golden thread on which the choicest
of the Missioner jewels in their per
forated settings were strung, snapped.
Instantly most OF the freed drops OF
frozen fire that constituted Mrs. Mis-
sioner's magnificent necklace--the
one with the Maharanee diamond
were rolling on the floor of the box.
Mrs. Missioner, as the little scream
broke from Dorothy March, a debu-
tante she had taken under her wing
Tor the evening, clutched at the few
diamonds that fell into her lap. Miss
March drew her skirts tightly about
her ankles and shrank into a corner
Of the box, making room for the man
who sprang to Mrs. Missoner's aid.
Before another moment sped, Curtis
Griswold was on his knees scooping
together the scattered jewels with
Bnowgloved hands. Bruxton Sands,
slower of movement, bent with more
dignity to the task. In the next box,
separated from Mrs. Missioner's only
by a low velvet rail, a man Of Orien-
tai features and complexion turned
to watch the scramble for the jewels.
Though he did not stir from his place,
his hawk-like face seemed to thrust
itself into the center of the excited
group.
"Contlnuel Continued" the singer
urged. as she bent her gaze from the
box to the conductor
whats the matter? Go on! Go
on" the stage manager cried in un-
dertones from the wings. Ushers in
the back of the house sought to cover
the confusion with ill-timed applause.
The moment was big with potential
tragedy. One cry /of "Fire!" might
have sent those thousands OF startled
women and men battling along the
aisles In an elemental fury of self
preservation. Mere prolongation oil
the situation without that terri
BILE tocsin might have ended in q
smaller panic. But the liquid tones
of the soprano soaring again in the
pyrotechnics of the Jewel Song re
claimed the attention of the audience
The conductor. evidently eager to hide
his own momentary loss OF poise, fair
Iy lifted his men through the intri
cacies of the accompaniment
Promptness of action by the stage
manager restored order behind the
scenes.
Nothing of all those incidents struck
the sense of anyone in the Missioner
box. All four of its occupants were
concerned for the immediate recovery
Of the diamonds that had sprung from
Mrs. Missioner's neck to her lap, and
then stampeded across the floor
Griswold, still on his knees, rescued
the greater number. Sands, o man ol
action as well as of millions, picked
up the larger gems. Miss Marct
ehrank further into her corner OF tbs
boz, and dragged her petticoats eve
more closely until her immature form
seemed chiseled In tulle.
Look in all the corners-lool
everywhere" Mrs. Missioner urged
There's one behind the chair" sh
pointed.
There's another" cried Dorothy
pointing at Griswold's feet. A glanc
from the dark stranger in the mex
box directed the searchers towar
still another part of the floor. an
every move was rewarded by the r,
covery of a cleaning stone. One b
one, by twos, by threes, the diamond
were gathered, and still the scare
went on. Fast as they scooped thel
up, Sands and Griswold poured th
glittering treasure into Mrs, Mi
sioner's lap.
"Are they all there?" asked tt
millionaire.
mo, no." answered the wido'
"There are several more Please loc
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