Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-27

Flip, The crimson sea oped flaps of the
performers entrance parted suddenly. and
Geronimo stepped out into the night.
Black black pitch" he muttered; and
at the swift change from ring glare to inky
darkness his tired eyes blinked he swept
the darker silhOuettes, the sun-blistered
menagerie cars standing gaunt and silent
on a side track.
Tap tip-tappity-tip! A heavy rain had
just ceased falling and In the blaze of
light under the high. covered archway big,
sparkling drops glistened on the flys edge,
tattooed the taut-stretched roof OF the
mammoth tent and splashed into the trench
below. No other sounds save the shutting
OF feet, the buzz of many voices and the
muffied strains of the violins within. Mar
hno was Juggling with the ten golden balls.
Standing a moment beneath the dazzling
archway Geronimo satisfied the longing
of his lungs. "Me-ah!' again and again
he hreathed, for the fragrance of sprout-
Ing sage filled the rain-cooled air. and the
heat of. the ring had been intense.
But the light in the troupe car. sick
Marcos light? | cannot see it," he NUT
tered, stepping into the shadows and shad-
ing his eyes with his hands "And-and
Caliagan said there was light!'
From the punching scarlet and yellow on
his bosom he pulled out his watch and
glanced at 1t; then over at the big. green
posters Tapping idly on the canvas walls
"Ah only five minutes till hold the drum,
and | must not keep ma amselle waiting.
] have never kept her waiting! But Marco,
her brother Marco! Ma'amselle is so anx-
ious; she VIII ashland them cannot tell.
Bah, Geronimo! you have time-time and to
spare. Go; ask Marco how he fares. He
has drawn down the shade, that is all"
Glumly he glanced down at his shoes,
epangled immaculate white.
But GerOnlmO'S mind WAS made nm.
Where Ma'amselle Marie Selni was con-
cerned 1t did not take him long TO decide.
So, thrusting his hands deep into the
wide, frilled pockets of his long, yellow
pantaloons, he drew them up almost to
his knees and tiptoed quickly off in the
direction of the troupe car.
Almost at its platform he halted sudden
Iy, mutterlng anathemas on miniature
mud lake shimmering between him and the
car. BAH TO think there had not been a
spot on his shoes, and now?
Splash
A dark figure sprang down from the plat
form into the surface water Geronimo felt
the spray on his powdered face.
Up went his hands. The leopard spotted
frils Of his pantaloons touched mud. His
hear gave one great bound and like
a drumstick thumped against his chest.
Geronimo. Geronimo!" whispered a IA
miiar voice.
"Ah, ST Senior Quereno. y-you? It is you"
stammered the clown. And - and Marco:
what of Marco?"
Dead, ddead,' gulped the tightwire
walker, suppressing the excitement In his
voice. INA amsene, she-she sent me. 1
found him dead Come-cOme with me, Ge-
rOnimo. We must report to Callagan at
once"
For a moment Geronimo stood as enc
daZed. From the crimson star on his flake
white cheek, leaving Its c1lored wake be-
hind, a big, glittering drop rolled down to
the crescent on his quivering chm. He
looked the fool he nightly acted.
"Ah. but no, but no. Senior QuerenO," he
was arguing, Ma 'amselle did not send you.