Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-04-30

tirely in your hands! -. HOW
should l not believe you, when you
are the only one to believe me
when you are the only one not tC
smile when Erik's name is men
tioned?"
And the young man impetuously
seized the Persians hands. They
were ice-cOld.
"Silence!" said the Persian, stop
| ping and listening to the distan,
sounds of the theater. I'VE must not
mention that name here. Let us say
he and him; then there will be less
danger of attracting his attention.
do you think he is near us?"
1T is quite possible, sir, II he is
not, at this moment, with his victim
In the house on the lake."
"Ah, so you know that house, too?'
IF he is not there, he may be
here, in this wall, in this floor. in
this ceiling! Comet
And the Persian, asking Raoul to
deaden the sound of his footsteps, led
him down passages which Raoul had
never seen before, even at the time
when Christine used to take him for
walks through that labyrinth.
IF only Darius has comet" said the
Persian.
"Who is Darius?"
Darius? My servant"
They were now in the center Of a
real deserted square, an immense
apartment ill-lit by small lamp. The
Persian stopped Raoul and, in the
softest of whispers, asked:
What did you say to the commits.
gary?"
II said that Christine Daae's alb.
Guctor was the Angel Of Music, alias
the opera ghost, and that the real
name was :"
Hush! And did he DO.
lieve you?"
NO"
HE attached no Importance to
what you said?"
mo"
HE took you for bit OF a mad.
MANI"
YES"
so much the better!" sighed the
Persian.
And they continued their road.
After going up and down several
staircases which Raoul had never
seen before, the two men found them
selves in front of door which the
Persian opened with a master.key.
The Persian and Raoul We're both, OF
course, in dress-clothes; but, where.
as Raoul had a tall hat, the Persian
wore the astrakhan cap which have
already mentioned. 1t was an in.
fringement Of the rule which insists
upon the tall hat behind the scenes;
but in France foreigners are allowed
every license; the Englishman his
travelling cap. the Persian his cap OF
astrakhan.
Sir" said the Persian, your tall
hat will be in your way; you would
do we'll to leave it in the dressing.
ROOM"
What dressing room?" asked
Raoul.
christine Daae's."
And the Persian, letting Raoul
through the door which he had Just
opened, showed him the actress room
opposite.
They were at the end Of the pass.
age the whole Of which Raoul had
been accustomed to traverse before
knocking at Christmas door.
How we'll you know the opera.
sir!"
mot so we'll as he does!" said the
Persian modestly.
And he pushed the young man into
Chr.stine's dressing-room, which was
as Raoul had left 1t few minutes
earlier.
Closing the door, the Persian went
to very thin partition that sep.
arated the dressing-room from a big
lumber-room next to 1t. He listened
and then coughed loudly.
There was sound OF some one
stirring in the lumber-room; and. q
few seconds later, finger tapped at
the door.
Come in," said the Persian.
"A man enteTeu, dISO wearing I'LL
astrakhan cap and dressed in a long
overcoat. He bowed and took rich
ly carved case from under his coat,
put 1t on the dressing-table, bowed
once again and went to the door.
did no one see you come In,
Darius?"
mo, master"
Let no one see you go out"
The servant glanced down the
passage and swiftly disappeared.
The Persian opened the case. It
contained pair of long pistols.
when Christine Daae was carried
of, sir, l sent word to my servant to
bring me these pistols. have had
them long time and they can be re-
lied upon"
DO you mean to fight q duel7"
asked the young man.
1T will certainly be duel which
We shall have to fight" said the other,
examining the printing OF his pistols.
And what a duel!" Handing one OF
the pistols to Raoul, he added: in