The Washington herald., 1914-07-05
Dead in the Opera Box.

Dead in the Opera BOx.
The finding of the dead body of julie
d'Orcival in the box at the Opera House
at 3 o'clock in the morning created a SEN
sation in Paris
There she lay, the most beautiful and
the most notorious woman in Paris, clad
in the satin domino Of black and white
in which she had come to the ball-and
with a dagger thrust through her throat
That astute and excellent magistrate
Roger Darcy, took charge of the mystic
rious case-for most mysterious it was
and set his detectives at work.
The body had been discovered by ar
amateur detective, or rather a busybody,
who fancied that he had detective tai
ents-one Lolif
a woman to mask and domino sitting
alone in box q of the first tier and then
by seeing several visitors, all women, en-
ter and leave the box.
At O'Clock Lolif saw the woman in
the black and white domino look out upon
the floor of the opera house, then turn
as If TO greet another visitor and disap-
pear.
In box %. next to that occupied by the
mysterious domino, he saw sitting two
men well known about Paris, Gen. Sim
ancas Of Peru. and Dr. Saint Gaulmier,
of Canada.
LOIif. Amateur Detective.
People might lift their eyebrows and
shrug their. shoulders when the names of
these two fnseparable friends were men
toned, but they belonged to the clubs,
appeared to have plenty of money and
managed to get invitations to houses
where people who met them would greet
them with an expression of face which
seemed to say, How the deuce did you
get here
When Lolif saw the two chevaliers din
dustrie leave their box he hastened up
there 1t would be a good place, he
thought, from which to solve the mys-
terry of the woman in the domino in Box
q
As he passed through the corridor be-
hind the two boxes he saw the edge Of
gown showing beneath the curtain which
hung before the entrance OF Box q.
He looked at 1t intently. II did not
stir. There was something unnatural in
its repose. He entered the box. and there
saw the beautiful demimondaine lying
dead.
He gave the alarm at once. He talked
volubly of his theories, he hurried on to
his clubs to carry his news. He swelled
with Importance; II was a great night
for N. Lolif.
Next morning all Paris was talking Of
the crime OF the opera.
Time to Reform.
But to 90 back a day or two
When a young man goes astray he
gets into trouble. When he tries 10 re-
form he gets into more trouble
CASTOR Darcy was a gay young man
about town, and seemed destined to con-
tinue a gay young man indefinitely But
when he reached the age OF thirty MS
uncle. the magistrate, called a halt
CASTOR" said the magistrate you
are INV heir. You will not have sou
hut what l leave you. If you do not al
once change your mode of life and get
married within three months l Will get
married myself and disappoint you OF
your inheritance"
The magistrate was well-preserNeo
bachelor Of forty-five. and CASTOR kne"
when his uncle said a thing ne meant S1 IT, II,
That evening CASTOR went to call upon
Tr1Iie d'Orcival with whom he had been
intimate for a year. He explained mat
ters TO Julie-rather awkwardly, II is
true-but it was a rather awkward Sit
uation.
Couut GoIymine's Threats.
Before Julie had fully realized what the
Young man was driving at a servant In
formed her that the Count Golymlne
wanted to see her. He was one OF those
Polish counts who are to be found IN an
large European cities-half eNiles ana
adventures. ~
He was a superb sample OF his klnd'
however, and a great Don Juan. He
had formerly been a lover Oh ~ = uiie h.1 .
and was still madly infatuated with her'
why did you admit him?" asked June.
He forced his way in, madam re-
nlied the servant.
VERY we'll: l will see him in the draw
ing room. I will be back in moment
CASTOR" .
AS soon as he saw Julie, the count
threw himself upon his knees and naoly
besought her to fly with him. He poured
out his protestations of love in a flood.
Julie laughed at him, scorned him and
repulsed him Leave this house ana
never let me see you again. she sald
at length, and turned and left the room
AS she did so the count sprang to his
feet and shrieked out: GO and Join
YOUR lover I curse you and you Will
learn what the msledictions Of the dead
will bring you
on with the old Love.
When she returned to CASTOR he pro-
,eeded with his remarks. She saw what
he would get at and then there was
scene.
Al first she wept and then she lost
,er temper and CASTOR lost his But
he upshot of it was that Castor re-
yaiued his freedom and went away ex-
llting in it.
The chains of Julie had rested pretty
heavily upon him of late.
Julie had really loved Castor. that is,
as nearly loved him as woman OF her
,ort could love anybody. But now her
Ehole thoughts of him were turned to
bitter vindictiveness and great thirst
or revenge
Revenge upon him she would have
But how? Then she thought Of the blind
nfatuation of Count Wencelas Golymine
md an idea struck her.
There was an agent for her. She would
send to him at once. But what was his
lddress?
She remembered that there was a card
If his in the card receiver on a table
n the long gallery. which led from the
lraying room.
II will write to him. He shall be my
minister of revenge" she thought.
Letters from the Dead.
She went down into the long, dim-lit
sallery. For a moment her heart stopped /