The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-04-25


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
holdup 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 tiger to
reach down and bite his head Off
Above the din of battle he could hear
Tim, his assistant. recting in n series
of frenzied bowls n catalogue of hor-
rors to freeze the blood. Tins voice
seemed to come from up stairs but Me
Ardell couldn't be sure because of the
noise of the fight Would the unequal
conflict never end? 1t seemed impossi-
bic that human strength could so long
hold out. And 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 Squab!' 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 moment The voice
of Tim brought him back.
MIR. McArdell! Oh, Mr.. McArdell!
Where are youT
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'. It's the tiger
that's dead"
Sheer amaze at the prowess of Squah
O'Neill choked McArdel for the mo-
ment. Then he called:
Help me out of this. I'm stuck fast
er'n prize onion in a goats gullet
Get me out, | say"
By dint of much hauling and strug-
Cling McArdell emerged. His first
glance fell upon the corpse of Saa-
mander, stretched on the floor. on it
sat Squad O'Neill 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
gercd over and laid a hand on the
striped body of the tiger.
SQUAD O'Neill." said he, speak
truth to man that's feared for his
reason. Is that SalamanderY
ut sure is" said SQUAD
rs he dead?"
"Deader'n the ant Noahs 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-"man
that can lick tiger hand to hand.
How'd you ever do it,"
"Well, he didn't fight back much"
didn't fight backY
NO" explained SQUAD. "IIe couldn't.
j You see, he's stuffedw
stuffed yelled McArdeH. Glow
could he roar if he was stuffedT'
81 did the roarin'," explained the con-
vivial Aleck, thrusting his head in at
the door It's 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 Aleck come
along to help, an when we run into
the holdup we done our little act. Sala-
mander an me, am" he concluded jul
dicially Il think it was a sensation.
Do we get a drink. the three of usY
Very late that night they left dis
reputable Salamander on the head
trainers doorstep. His fur was flecked
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 n magnum OF
champagne. The end of his tail Haunt
ed a corkscrew. On his massive fore
head was a placard for all to read
Treat him kind, for he done his best. u
1t was signed with four names, that
of Squad O'Neill conspicuous among
tbnm Npvt dov SOuoh lost his iOh but
he doesn't care. McArdell is going to
set him up for himself as a tiger train,
err one of these days.