The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1902-08-14
MQubikeCk, The IOD-TQneT.
By SEWARD w. HOPKINS,
Author Of Jack Robbins of Anerica.'' I'm the
China Sea- Two deutIemen Of
Hawaii" ..On o RaISe
Charge Etc.
cspyrishs. 1895. by RoBrnr Bosrr.'s sors.
CHAPTER I.

bet a cigarette you haven't laughed
since breakfast
What breakfast? I haven't seen a
smile on his face in a week.
The scene was the Lotus club, New
York city, and I, Richard Wilbertson.
alluded to- The facetiOuS person who
so alluded to my impassive face was
Dilkins, the dude, and youthful mem
Der of our coterie. The second speak
er was Major Simmons, who, besides
being a frst-rate companion, man
of middle age more, was Park Com
missioner of New York.
There was, unknown to the major
and Dilkins, good reason for the alb
sence of smiles. was desperately in
love with Edith BrOughton, and Edith
was in love with me. So far so good.
But in an evil hour rival came upon
the scene, and though he did not sue
coed in winning Edith'S heart, he did
succeed in SO far winning the father
and the mother of Edith as to prevail
upon them to espouse his cause; and
IN the effort to compel Edith to ac-
cept him, they had absolutely forbid
den me the entrance to their house,
and had SO restricted all the move
mentS of Edith that all intercourse be-
tween us was impossible.
The cause of this was plain enough.
While l had a comfortable income,
my rival, Ralph Graviscourt, was a
millionaire, lived in magnificent style
drove splendid horses, spent money
lavishly, and Notwithstanding, his
forty odd years, was the greatest
catch of the season in New York
The conversation turned on Gravis-
court, and the major became rem1nis-
cent.
He was called the lucky uncle -
said the major, whose years gave him
f1Srca If
had an elder brother, Charles Gravis-
court, who was successful stock
operator, and who amassed a fortune
of over million dollars. Charles had
a wife and one child. His wife died
when the child was only six months
old One year afterward Charles
died, leaving the child, a girl, sole
heiress of his fortune and Ralph
Graviscourt, next of kin, his executor
and guardian of the child. Six months
after Charles died, his daughter died
and Graviscourt inherited the fortune
That is why he was called the lucky
uncle
When the major had finished, I sat
moodily engaged with my thoughts
which were unpleasant enough.
HPshaw!" said he. Don't get blue
Let's go to the circus tonight. What
do you say?"
After a little chaff about the pro-
gram, we both accepted the majors
invitation, and few hours later we
found ourselves at Madison Square
Garden, eIbowing our way with the
rest OF the throng in through the en-
trance and into comfortable seats pro-
vided by the major
AS one circus is like another. so the
gaudily uniformed band was like every
other circus band, and bIared out cir
Gus music until the throng was
seated.
Then came the clown, and after him
a herd of trained elephants. We
watched them attentive1y, and were
rather sorry when the great, clumsy,
sagacious brutes moved out of the
ring.
St! Here's a sight!'' said Dilkins
digging me in the ribs
1t was a sight, indeed
The next occupant of the ring was
Maubikeck, the Lion-Tameri
He was not particularly talI-not
more SO than myself, but of such mas
sive muscularity that I gazed at him
with undisguised admiration. 1 had
in my college days, been something
of an athlete myself, and 1 had an
honest admiration for the strength and
1ron-l1ke limbs of the man before us
He was clad only in tights and
through them the swelling muscles of
his thighs seemed about to burst
About his waist he wore a bejeweled
gird1e, the bangles of which seemed
to be gold and silver coin.
From his waist up he wore nothing
His skin was white and through it
his iron muscles rolled and sweIIed
like those of some giant of the past.
whose deeds, as written, now seem
ground1ess legends, in which there
can be no probability OF truth.
Upon neck of massive beauty was
paised a head over which a sculptor
might rave 1t was like the head of
a Greek god, SO perfect was it in its
outlines, its match1ess poise, it's per
feet skin and its wealth of glossy
black hair.
The lions were not the full-maned
majestic African kings we see in
menageries and in illustrations. They
were smaller variety, with a notified
brown coat, but with legs and neck
that bespoke tremendous power and
eyes that flashed ominously and voices
that were from time to time lifted in
angry growlS.
When the keepers had freed the
lions from their chains, an act that
seemed to fill the audience with fear
Maubikeck stepped from his chariot
and went among them They crouched
as aDnrOached and CrinVRd at