The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1902-01-28
CHAPTER VI.-CoNr1NUED.
Pub ty Harper Bros Copyright 1901 BY Cutoffs Hynl

The purpose of these two cave-tigers
MAS plain; while they were in the cir
gus, and loose, no living being could
cross from one gatetO the other. They
were new and sturdy addition to the
6tfenses of the capital. A collar of
bronze was round the throat of each,
and On the collar was a massive chain
which led to the wall, where it could be
played oRt or hauled in by means of a
windlasC IN one of the hidden galleries.
So ,that Ct ordinary moments the two
huge bssSts could be tethered, one
close to Rither end of the circus, as the
litter OK bones and other messes
showed, lsAY1ng free passageway be-
tween the two sets of doors.
The windlass clanked, and the teth-
ering chains drew the great beasts
clear of the doorway; and a valve of
the farther door swung ajar, and
a prisoner was thrust struggling into
tne circus. A sickness seized me
when 1 saw that this was woman,
bat still, in view of the object 1 had
In hand, 1 made no interruption.
1t was not that 1 had never seen
women sent TO death before. A gen
Ifal, who haT 0one his fighting, must
III his day have killed women equally
with men; yes, and seen them earn
their death-bIpU by lusty battling.
4et there seeTed something so wan
ton in this cruG}, helpless sacrifice of
= woman prisoner, chat 1 had strug-
gle with myself to avoid interference.
Still it is ever She case that the in
diyidual must be sacrificed to a poll
cy, and so, as ! say, L watched on,
outwardly cold and impressive.
I watched toS q confess it freely
with quickeriag heart. Here was
no sullen, submissive victim. She
may have beers cowardly (as some
women are), she may have been brave
(as many womel have shown them
selves); but, at any rate, it was clear
that she was g9'ng to make strug-
gle for her lift, and to do vicious
damage, it migAh be, before she yield
ID it up. The watchers behind the
hrrow-slits recognized this. Their
wagers, and the hum of their appre-
citation, swept 5Iudly round the ring
of the circus.
They stripped their prisoners, be-
fore they thrlTt them out to this
death, of all tfla clothes they might
carry, for clothes have a value; and
so the woman stood there bare
limbed in the d Oonlight.
She clapped her back to the great
stone door by which she had entered,
and faced fate with glowing eye.
Gods! there have been times in early
years when &C uld have plucl1ed out
sword and Jumped down, and fought
for her there for the sheer delight
of such battle. But now policy re-
strained me. The individual might
want a helping hand, but it was be-
coming more and more clear that
Atlantis wanted a minister also; and
before these great needs, the lesser
ones perforce must perish. STILL, be
1t noted that, if did not jump down,
no other man there that night had
sufficient manhood remaining to ven
ture the opportunity.
My heart gIowed as 1 watched her.
She picked a bone from the litter on
the pavement and beat off its head
by blows against Che wall. Then with
her teeth she fashioned the point to
still further sharpness. 1 could see
her teeth glisten white in the moon
rays as she bit with them.
TIE huge cave-tigers, which stood
as high as her head as they walked,
came tearer to her in their prowlings,
yet obviously neglected her. This
was part of their accustomed scheme
Of torment, and the woman knew ii
veil. There was something intoler~