Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-07-25


"Halloa! Signor Petro," cried
some one behind him. "Tsking stock
of that beauty. eh?"
Farrelli turned round sharply, anil
found himself face to face with the
ring master, Mark Radford, tho only
member of the whole troupe with
whom he was upon any sort Of init
mate terms.
you're not afraid of him, are
your" continued Radford, pointing to
the dark recess in which the panther
lay.
"Afraid? Mol" returned Petro,
CONTEMPORARY. 'I've got the mas.
terry over him already; I can quell
him with my eye. Besides" he went
on, vehemently, "if he cuts up rough,
I could strangle the brute before he
had time to get his claws into me.
Oh, no; it isn't the panther I mind;
but"
"But what"
"I'm afraid OF that woman?"
"What womsn?"
"Come outside, Mark" said Far
relli, taking his friend by the arm as
if compelled to confde in him. "I'll
tell you the whole story right of, and
then you can Judge whether have
cause to feel bit uneasy about the
panther"
They strolled out OF the tent, arm
in arm. Two or three faring naphtha
lamps. suspended from poles, threw a
broad fringe Of light around the en-
trance, glimmering family upon a
row of intent, eager faces in the back
ground. The two men turned aside
and wandered of into the darkness.
When they came to the low wall
which bounded the market place,
Farrelli stood still und listened. Then,
as if assured that they were alone, he
seated himself upon the edge of the
wall, and commenced his story.
"You remember that fellow Vail
ard, Mark ?" he said, with q serious
ness that convinced the other there
was some startling disclosure coming.
"Should think do" replied Rad.
ford; 'Rowdy' Vallard, we used to
call him. A good bareback rider, but
desperately cantankerous, quarrel
some sort of fellow. He left us very
suddenly, too; and no one seemed to
know what became OF him."
eyes" muttered Farrelli, "that's
so. WE'LL" he went on, sternly.
"you'll hear now what befell him.
When we were running the show up
in York last winter, ] had the ill-luck
to fall foul of that man Vallard. 1t
was about girl. I had noticed her
hanging around the circus for two or
three days-wanted to become rider.
or something of the kind. 1 managed
to strike up an acquaintance with her.
She told me her name was Florence
Mayhem, and bit by bit it came out
that she had sweetheart in the show.
But for the life of me, though kept
nagging ut her about it, I couldn't get
her to say which of US it was.
"One night, when the performance
was over, l set out for a quiet ramble
through the streets. / wandered on
through slums and alleys, until got
down close to the river.
at was dismal and deserted spot.
As looked around I saw q man and
woman ahead. Iknew at once who they
were-Vallard and Florence Mayhem.
Her secret was now out E; but couldn't
help wondering what she saw in that
brute to attract her.
''They seemed to be wrangling about
something. Suddenly they stopped
short, 90 Il to argue tho raatter ont
While I stood watching them I saw
Vallard raise his hand to strike the
girl. My blood boiled. Mark; the
next second I was at his side and flung
him on the fiat of his back in the mud.
He got up and went for me furiously.
We had stand.up fight; and-well,
he came off second best, as we say IN
Ireland.
"When it was all over turned to.
wards the girl, half expecting she would
throw herself into my arms or some.
thing of that sort. She gave me u
look-you should have seen it, Mark
and few at me like tigress. Good
heavens! I little guessed what a
demon was in that woman! She
screamed with passion: she tore at me
savagely, and shouted that had killed
her sweetheart. I shook her off, and
left them to square matters up between
themselves.
II took a smart turn of a mile or
two along BY the river, for I felt bit
rufaed, and wanted to walk it off. l
was coming back slowly, not minding
much how I went, when I came upon
q huge pile of timber stacked up on
the bank. Just as I passed, man
sprang out upon me with q knife in
his hand. 1t was Vallard. He made
savage blow at me, but I managed
to twist myself out of the way in the
nick of time, and let him have heavy
right handler in return.
"He dropped the knife and reeled
back as if half stunned. His heel
caught in a stray log; he tried hard
to keep his feet, clawing the air with
his hands as his body swayed out over
the brink. Then, before could reach
him. down he went into the riverl
II rushed to the side and peered
over. He must have gone to the bot
tom like stone, or else the current
whipped him away ont OF sight, for l
never set eyes on him again. I tore
up and down the bank, shouting for
help, but there wasn't soul within
hearing. I stood still to listen for a
cry from the drowning man. The only
sound that reached my ears was the
rushing and gurgling Of the water.
81 gave up the search at last, and
went home considerably sobered. The
rest OF that night sat in my room
thinking the matter out. ! came to
the conclusion there was nothing to
be gained by making q fuss over it,
and determined to keep my own coun-
sell.
IA day or two later the girl turned
up at the show, and began to make in.
quiries about Vallard. One evening
happened to meet her: she stopped
and looked at me-and upon my word,
7