Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-04-16

For one frozen second the quartet in
the game of holdup stood like statues.
Then pistol shot perforated far cor
ner of the ceiling, there was strangled
below of terror, and dark figure dove
headforemost through the window,
with a mighty crash of glass.
"Wait fer me, Mixer another voice
implored.
There was second rush. and the
glass of another window shattered.
Across adjacent fields two gashed faces
dripped blood at such intervals as a
man may cover in mighty leaps. The
ho!dup was over.
But what did McArdell care? Wedg-
ed half way down his dumb waiter. he
alternately cursed his girth and the i'm
pulse that had led him to that false hope
of escape and prayed forgiveness for
his profanity with the fervor of man
who momentarily expects a tiger to
reach down and bite his head off
Above the din of battle he could hear
Tim, his assistant, reciting in a series
Of frenZied howls a catalogue of hor-
rors to freeze the blood. Tins voice
nttulcu W tOllc lIOll UP SldllS, Dut AC-
Ardell couldn't be sure because of the
noise of the fight Would the unequal
conflict never end? 1t seemed impossi-
BILE that human strength could so long
hold out. AnG now the clamor began to
mitigate, then died away until nothing
could be heard but hoarse painting
Hes getting his wind before he eats
poor Squad" thought the imprisoned
saloon keeper. Then he'll come after
me-" forecast followed by so paralyz-
ing an excess of terror that he lost
consciousness for a moment. The voice
of Tim brought him back.
"Mr. McArdelll Oh, Mr.. McArdeli.
Where are you?"
"In the dumb waiter shaft"
"Come up. He's dead"
"Of course he's dead. Did you think
the tiger was pettin' him, you fool?"
"Of course nothin'. lt's the tiger
that's dead"
Sheer amaze at the prowess of SQUAD
O'Neill choked McArdeli for the mo-
,ment. Then he called:
Help me out of this. I'm stuck fast
er'n prize onion in goats gullet.
Get me out, say!'
BY dint of much hauling and strug-
Cling McArdell emerged. His first
glance fell upon the corpse of Sala-
mander, stretched on the floor On it
sat Squab ONeill. He was breathing
very hard. All about was scattered
the money dropped by the robbers in
their haste, and Tim was doing the jig
of jubilation among it. McArdell stag
gered over and laid a hand on the
striped body of the tiger
"Squab O'Neill," said he. "speak
truth to man that's feared for his
reason. Is that Salamander"
at sure is," said SQUAD.
SIS he dead"
"Dcader'n the ant Noah's elephant
stepped on"
"And you're alive"
"An' dry"
McArdell wabbled over to the bar
and took the biggest drink of whisky
he had swallowed in ten years.
Hold hard" said SQUAD resentfully.
81 need that worse'n you do"
"Need nothing" said McArdell-"msn
tldt van llNh llStT W u.
How'd you ever do itW'
"Well. he didn't fight back much"
"Didn't fight back?"
"No," explained SQUAD. "He couldn't
You see he's stuffed"
"Stuffcdw yelled McArGell. "How
could he roar If he was stuffedr
81 did the roarin'," explained the con-
vivial Aleck, thrusting his head in at
the door. ITS t'irsty work, but for a
long drink could roar s'more."
AN | put in the snarlin' an growl-
in" added SQUAD. 81 didn't go fer to
fool you at first, Mac" he added ear
nestly. 81 told you was sent to get
Salamander, though | didn't tell that
he died last week and has been at the
taXidermers ever since. So come
back to show you, an Aeck come
along to help. an when we run into
the holdup we done our little act. Saa-
mander an me. an" he concluded ju-
dicially, 81 think it was sensation.
Do we get drink, the three of us?"
Very late that night they left dis
reputable Salamander on the head
trainers doorstep. His fur was hecked
with sawdust and eXuded an unmis-
taxable flavor of revelry. Cooked over
one eye was wreath made of green's
and the gold foil from champagne bot
ties. In his mouth was a flask of
brandy. Each fore paw clasped whis-
ky bottle, each hind paw magnum of
champagne. The end of his tail naunt-
ed corkscrew. On his massive fore
head was a placard for all to read:
Treat him kind for he done his best"
1t was signed with four names, that
of SQUAD O'Neill conspicuous among
them. Next day Squab lost his job, but
he doesn't care, McArdell is going to
set him up for himself as tiger train
er one of these days.