Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1904-11-11
The Price of
A Threat
By ALEC BRUCE
Copyright, 1901. by Alec Bruce


"Ah, ma'amselle, and you know not
what to do. That is lt2" he questioned
quickly and inviting confidence with
his earnest, searching little eyes. But,
Marie, ma'amselle," he muttered, step
ping closer to her, 30 close that she
felt the warmth Of his breath on her
cheek, "maybe-maybe Pierrot might
know-if-if you would tell him, heyT
"Ah, Pierrot, nonw she faltered, GOV
ering her face with her hands. "You-
you could not, non. you-you"- No
other words would come. Her lips
Quivered. Her eyes Allied.
marie, Marie" he urged, maybe /
I-ah. you think not, heyT And his
broad breast swelled with smothered
love. love that had known no utter
ance. for he was "Pierrot, the fool" II
groom! And she? She was "Ma'am-
selle Mirabeau, premier equestrienne,"
In Barkalow's big circus ring.
Suddenly ting-ting. ting-ting
"Ma'amselle, ma 'amselle," whispered
warnlnlly, the first belll You hear?
Thirty minutes and you go on. Just
thirty Marie"
But still she did not answer.
"Ah, | am only Pierrot, Pierrot, the
fool" he murmured, "and you-you
will not tell fool, ma'amselle. No,
no. Why should you"
"Pierrotp From her tear dlmmed
eyes she dropped two small. pink star
fish hands aud faced him. "Pierrot "a
foolr You said foolr' she quavered.
"Ah, to ma amselle you must not say
30 once again. | know you. A fooli
Non, nonl You say will not tell you,
will not trust you, mon ami. Leesten,
leestenl That Hercules, the dead
weight litter, bahW and she shuddered
violently. again, today, he say
'Ma'amselle, you will marry me, ouir
Already six times he haf said so. oh,
Lala, how PERSISTENT All, Pierrot, you
do not know. And for answer l say:
'M'sieur, mono. No-no-nop Six
times say 30. and of heem | think no
more. But today, today, 1t Ii differ
ent. am afraid. He look so black, 30
terrible when he say: 'Ma'amselle, you
will marry me. MOI All. no more
trifiing, | say, none ut all. elf me your
answer. You haf till o'clock tonight
that is allr And Pierrot, number
eight ON the programme. oui, number
eight, tonight'sl Look at It, and-and
you will understandP'
Number eight, ma'amselle. number
eight on the programme. tonight's2 |
have one somewhere" he mumbled,
searching doubtfully among the frllled
yards OF red white and blue at his
pockets. "Ahw At last with trembling
fingers he unfolded the crushed Grim
son sheet. Hercules, Hercules, Her
culesl The dead weight litter! To
night, tonight, tonightr' 1t read. Head
downward from d swinging trapeze
twenty feet above the circus ring this
worldwide champion will dangle In his
teeth 100 pounds Of solid steel. Ii that
all2 mol We tell you mol But see
for yourselves the most marvellous
sight ever seen. From ring beneath
the suspended weight he will hold fast
the added burden of our premier eques-
trienne, aud backward and forward In
midair she will swing and hang until
at length she drops, dancing and pir-
ouettlhg on her shi'op,ns S.ecu p.,ow'
MON Iieu' mon Deu' muu''uu ~,
ferrot "nen ne nhu reho .ne pn',
understand, | understand, ma'amselle.
ionish' you mus an'"1i ~ " ,s
WIN drop 'ne uenu we ,,, ''''n "''
tee,n wnen you ilans pe'o% w., -, a.
1rlo,, "'V, 1870, g.
not ! WIN ~, p1'io, .a', 'o n. 49,
'en'Do' 80 on, -.
.ou"u NV uo 10, III, ,au ,ho
Dog on' mn 'A'
li a,as.ro, No No mo,ousouo.
wa n'ii'e,'' ~" o, mo oan,,onad
1nc moment ,an,.. Vn. ,nD and n,a'.Ina h,s
80, -, az nr,nson diamond an
ll". as ST.
apn, p,orrot pierrot" ahe insisted
.r roust I must p"
"Non non ma'amselle. you must
no,w bs wb,snered ~ have II: pier.
rot has ,tw And again he glanced In
tentlv nj the programme. "Blen. bien.
hoyo q, In number seven Won ride
comoncba nm Ride him. mo;anselle.
pirouettei Jumni Jump through the
drum hold II ma,amselje. Look.
number seven .Mirabeau ON Conan.
che, Bsh beg orr Non. non: trust
Pierrot. Have no fear. You will not
swing from Hercules weightr
"But, Pierrot, how1 How1 You
must tell mep'
Ting ting, tin ting -tingi
"Becond bell, ma'amselie," he inter
rupted, second bell" and. grasping the
curtains, he peeped through the faded
fringe. "Ah. the tiers; they are black
with people-black. ma'amsellel There
Is no time, no time to tell. Trust Pier
rot, trust. trust" And In a moment
he was gone.
Fifteen minutes later, with an angry
scowI. Hercules, the dead weight lift.
CT. raised the flap Of the managers