The San Francisco call., 1904-06-05


4 white," whispered Pierrot,
stepping noiselessly toward her on the
little sawdust circle before the per-
formers entrance.
On her downcast lashes he had
noticed a tear-diamond sparkling
bright as the spangles on her short.
hlTny skirt; and on her bosom. for a
moment, he watched the twisted sap
phire necklace glittering blue as it rose
and fell in the blaze OF light.
Marie" he whispered again. you
are in trouble. grave trouble, Ma'am-
seller"
'oui. Ouii liam in trouble -
grave trouble. Pierrot." she an
swered, brokenly.
"Ah, Ma amselle, and you know not
what TO 90: that is it?" he questioned
quickly, and inviting confidence with
his earnest, searching little eyes
but, Marie-Ma' 'amselle," he muttered,
stepping closer 10 her, so close that she
felt the warmth OF his breath on her
cheek, "maybe-maybe Pierrot might
lnow-if-if you would tell him, hey?
"Ah. Pierrot, noni" she faltered,
covering her face with her hands,
''you-you could not, non, you-you-!
No other words would come. Her lips
quivered; her eyes filed.
Marie, Marie!" he urged, maybe,
IL ah, you think not. hey?" and his
bread breast swelled with smothereo
love-a love that had known no utter
ance; for he was "Pierrot, the fool" a
Erooml And she? She was a'amselle
Airabeau, premiere Equestrienne," in
1~1f -~r~1u o ri
Suddenly, ting-ting, ting g-ting-tingl
''da'amselle, Ma'amselle," he whis-
pered warmingly, "the first belll You
hear? Thirty minutes. and you 90 on.
Just thirty. Mariei"
But stin she did not answer.
"Ah. I am only Pierrot, Pierrot, the
fool" he murmured, "and you-you
viii not tell a fool, Ma'amselle. No,
no; why should your
.Pierroti" From her ear-dimmed
eyes she dropped two small, pink star
FISH hands and faced him. "Pierrot, a
fool? You said a fool" she quavered.
"Ah. TO Ma'amselle you must not say
so once again. 1 know you. A foolG
Non. noni You say I will not tell
YOU. ] VIII not trust you, mon ami
Mon Dieu, leesten. leestenl That
Hercules. the dead-weight litter, BAH"
and she shuddered violently. Again,
to-day. he say, 'fa'amselle; you will
marry me. QUIZ Already. six times
he hat said So oh, la1a, how per
sistenti All, Pierrot. you do not
know. And for answer I say, 'M'sieur,
no-no. No-no-no" Six times
say so. and OF heem I think no more.
e-
am afraid. He look so black, so ter
rible when he say, 'Ma'amselle. you
viii marry me. No? All. no more
trihing, I say, none at all. Gif me
your answer. You haf till o'clock
tonight; that is all" And Pierrot.
number eight on the programme, oui,
number eight, to-night'si Look at H.
and-and you viii understand"
Number eight, Maamselle, number
eight on the programme, to-nights2 1
have one somewhere" he mumbled,
searching doubtfully among the frilled
yards of red, white and blue at his
pockets. All" at last with trembling
fingers he unfolded the crushed, Grim
son sheet. Hercules, Hercules, Hercu-
lesi The dead-weight Ifterl Tonight,
tonight. tonight" II read Head
downward from q swinging trapeze
twenty feet above the circus ring this
worldwide champion viii dangle in his
teeth 100 pounds Of solid steel Is that
al? Mo- we tell you, mol But see for
yourselves the most marvellous sight
ever seen. From a ring beneath the
suspended weight he viii hold fast the
added burden Of our premiere equestri-
enne; and backwards and forwards In
mid air she VIII swing and hang until
at length she drops. dancing and pirou-
citing on her galloping steed below"
Mon Dieu, Mon Dieul" muttered
Pierrot, when he had read the bin, Il