Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-04-26
ayers, NJ. m1rrold asked, -Havs you.
an Angel Of Music on the premises.

ayers. M. M1rroid asked, "Have you
an Angel Of Music on the premises.
gentlemen?'
Richard and Moncharmin shook
their heads. without even speaking.
"Oh," said the viscount, those gen.
tlemen have heard of the opera
ghost Well, am in position to
state that the opera ghost and the
Angel of Music are one and the same
person; and his real name is Erik"
M. Mifroid rose and looked at Raoul
attentively.
Il beg your pardon, monsieur. but
is it your intention to make fun OF
the law? And, If not, what is all this
about the opera ghostY'
II say that these gentlemen have
heard of him" h
Gentlemen, 1t appears that you
know the opera ghost?"
Richard rose, with the remaining
hairs of his mustache in his hand.
mo, NJ. Commissary, no, we do
not know him, but we wish that we
did, for this very evening he has
robbed us of twenty-thousand francs!"
And Richard turned a terrible look
on Moncharmin, which seemed to
say:
Give me back the twenty-thousand
francs. or I'll tell the whole story"
Moncharmin understood what he
meant, for. with distracted gesture,
he said:
ooh. tell everything and have done
with it!'
AS for Mifroid, he looked at the
managers and at Raoul by turns and
wondered whether he had strayed IN.
to lunatic asylum. He passed his
hand through his hair.
"A ghost" he said. who, on the
same evening, carries of an opera
singer and steals twenty.thousand
francs is ghost who must have his
hands very full! II you don't mind,
we will take the questions in order.
The singer first, the twenty.thousand
francs after. Come, NJ de Chagny,
let us try to talk seriously. You be-
lieve that Mile. Christine Daae has
been carried of by an individual
called Erik. Do you know this per-
son? Have you seen him7"
Eyes,"
"Where?"
In churchyard."
NJ. Mifroid gave start, began to
scrutinize Raoul again and said:
"Of course! That's where
what were you doing in that church
yard?"
Monsieur said Raoul. Il can
quite understand how absurd my re-
plies must seem to you. But beg
you to believe that l am in full pos
session Of my faculties. The safety
OF the person dearest to me in the
world is at stake. should like tc
convince you in few words, for time
1s pressing and every minute is val
liable. Unfortunately If do not tell
you the strangest story that ever was
from the beginning, you will not be
lieve me. will tell you all know
about the opera ghO.t, NJ. Commits
sary. Alas, do not know much! :"
Never mind, go on, 60 on" ex
claimed Richard and Moncharmin
suddenly interested.
Unfortunately for their hopes OF
learning some detail that could put
them on the track Of their hoaxer,
they were soon compelled to accept
the fact that NJ. Raoul de Chagny
had completely lost his head. All that
story about os-Guirec, deaths
heads and enchanted violins, could
only have taken birth in the disor-
dered brain of a youth mad with love.
It was evident, also, that NJ. Com
missary Mifroid shared their view;
and the magistrate would certainly
have cut short the incoherent mar
rative If circumstances had not TAX.
en- 1t upon themselves to interrupt It,
The door opened and man en-.
tered. curiously dressed in an enor.
NOUS frock.coat and a tall hat. at
once shabby and shiny, that came
down to his ears. He went up to the
commissary and spoke to him in a
whisper. 1t was doubtless detective
COME u uellVeI nh Important COIu.
munication.
During this conversation NJ. Mifroid
did not take his eyes OF Raoui. At
last, addressing him, he said:
Monsieur, We have talked enough
about the ghost. We will now talk
about yourself little. If you have
no objection: you were to carry on
Mile Christine Daae tonight?"
Yes. NJ le commissaire."
AFTER the performance"
"Yes, NJ. le commissaire."
"All your arrangements were
nader"
Yes, NJ. le commissaire."
THE carriage that brought you was
to take you both away. There
were fresh horses in readiness at
every stage :"
THAT Is true, NJ. lie commissaire. .
And nevertheless your carriage ia
still outside the Rotunda awaiting
your orders, is 1t not?"
"Yes, NJ le commissaire."
did you know that there were
three other carriages there. in add
ton to yours?"
A.