New Nick Carter Weekly, No. 38 — page 29: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Could it be that Jameson was, after all, _the destroyer and—— | Trim’s heart seemed — throat. roe Rea He caught a glimpse, or thought he did, of something on the further side of the theatre that sent chills up and down to his his back. ¥ He was not alarmied, but he was great- ly excited. He strained his eyes in that direction, _ trying to make certain that what he saw was reality. Rye _ . He could not be sure; it was under the first balcony that he was looking. It was dark there; the lights in the main house were burning high, but up “there the gallery cast a shadow that made bjects seer dim at that sahcppiorbees ss => itiese. was a 5 titek. inate Ste his “face! : CHAPTER X. NOT ON THE PROGRAMME. ‘What could this mean? “Nothing, except something awfu oe . ' The man in the mask was but the sign Sake ‘ of an event that was to follow. ce _ Was it not a hint that Jan the Des | er as at work? Sue oe ‘Trim sat stock still for a moment, but the pe sage es was ve from every l and usele that would be at t his "at Dh A plan that was so far along as to ad- -mit of a masked man in the theatre Baits not ‘be prevented by any such 27 The show, therefore, was about to go . All the spectators, except the detective, believed that the favorite actor would ,ap- ‘fore them in the third act of the play. - Trim was prepared for cates but that. The curtain rose on .an empty stage; all those who were familiar wth the play, and that meant most of the audi- ence, were surprised at this. A low chorus of exclamations ran over the house, , “What does it mean ?’’ people said to each other. 6 ‘“Something certainly has happened!’’ ‘*Perhaps the star has been taken sud- denly il] and the Manager will now come | forward and ages =f . Fully a half mjnute pas ed while the people stared at the empty s stage. 3 The musicians were not in their places; no actor app eared. Presently a tall man stepped from the upper entrance on the stage and walked slowly toward the footlights. ‘ He had on a long black coat: . there ot was a revolver in each hand and upon his face was a black mask. Trim was the only one in-the great au- dience who realized instantly what this meant. _ phe others, ¢ even those who. were saa: some part a the oe ‘“There’s been a change made in the play, just for to-night,’’ they whispered to each other. ‘The masked man on the stage came slowly forward and stopped when he was exactly in the middle and close to the Scien nes | here he paused for a few seconds i in silence. The people waited breathless] y for him to speak, | s é ; 4c a a om (. : 7 : os P ies and gentlemen,”’ he began. Trim turned hastily toward the box; where Jameson had Nessa , oe sad not neec