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

fer to purchase the horse. Does any one
mo. no; agreed. Agreed assented
Agreed, agreed echoed the troupe.
Then. solemnly. item by item, the auct pc =
proceeded until three hundred dollars ha1
been raised. And be 1t known that Sehof
Quereno purchased sparingly.
At last came the violin. Selinfs sweet.
toned VIOLIN violin that had mace the
breasts of wild men heave.
How much?" cried Callagan. You nave
heard its intermezzo. Gentlemen! LADIES'!
How much?"
FIFTY dollars" in a low voice offered
sixty" muttered Geronimo. -
"One hundred and fifty" capped the
:Two-two hundred" stammered ouereno.
surprised.
''Three," auavered Geronimo.
Jerry, jerry warned Marlino.
But the clown heard nothing. 4 wild In, In
sistent suspicion flashed into his brain. HIS
blood was tngling through his veins, and
shell-like murmur drummed in his ears the
e ef theee he
risk 1 challenge" =,
Three hundred dollars. gentlemen
Bang. bang bang! Three hundred! Going
at three hundred" announced the auction
eer. Going. going
Senior Quereno's face went white; his lips
trembled; nervously he stroked his long,
black mustache; Bah! a fools purse must as
soon give out -Four hundred dollars four
Enough, enough. Mister Callagan,"
cried the clown. Il cannot offer more.
But If he wants the violin, only the violin,
al $500, let him have it,
"Ha ha!" laughed Quereno: But the
laugh had a mirthless ring. 'The-the VIC
Inland the bow. ha ha! That is all 1
want"
rupted Callagam. what else could the
senior want? Explain
For moment Geronimo seemed to weigh
his answer. One moment only; but during
through fire. His whole passionate nature
rose in rebellion. fierce and i'll concealed.
Curse of all curses on that clown!
Geronimo" insisted Callagan.
"Ah sir, Minister Callagan, sir, NUT
tered Geronimo, trembling. "Ma'amsel!e's
money. you say 1t is lost You have looked
everywhere. everywhere Did you look IN
the violin. Shake it, sir, shake it. Look
big bill, that's what brother Marco had,
and-ah, yves Marco-Marco might have
put it there. Why not, why not. sir?,
"Ha-ha! Ah-ahahah.', From nifty
threats the loud murmur of surprise swell
ed to one long continued roar
Gentlemen, gentlemen! Ma'amselle Sc
lini, hush-sh!" with uplifted hands warned
Callagan. Hush shsh!'
A tattered old program futtered and
whrled from the gallery to the ring. EV-
cry one heard it.
Suddenly to his ear the manager raised
the instrument high and shook it. MY
friends he cried, there Is netting in
1t, A bill, a bill, Marco Selini's bill. Aha,
thank God, thank God! Geronimo, it is
found!' And IN his glance, directed square
ly at the Spanard newborn suspicion
lurked "Ah. Senior Quereno, Senior Que
reno" in tones full of meaning he Whls-
pered, "once again l ask you, is your offer
good? Four hundred dollars for the VIC
lin-only the vioin-and the bow?'
All eyes turned rudely on the tight-wire
walker. The infection of suspicion had
spread to every member of the troupe
Yah. yah. II will buy-will offer-t-that
sum-" stammered Quereno crimsoning.
''But-but. Senior Callagan, an, and do you
not think so, too, that this discovery might
influence Ma amsele? tr-the-the violin,
now she may desire toto keep? A re-
membrance, senior, "a remembrance"
Hem! Possibly, senior, possibly" said
Callagan, descending slowly from the
stand. But l will see. I will explain to
ma amselle. One moment, please,
In few minutes he returned. mo, senior.
no. Ma amselle desires to sell. How kind
you are she says, to offer so much mon
ey.' My friends, three cheers. three cheers
for Senior Quereno. Come. Hip, hip
And ''Hurrah. hurrah, hurrah!" to a man
jeered Tim Callagans angry troupe.