The Elbert County tribune., 1908-06-11

when 1t comes to the trunli= beds.
THE upshot of it all was l hustled
back to Ell Paso. where we had some
green-room effects of a new opera
stored, and as feet-footed as possible
| hiked back to Chihuahua. accompa-
MED by two big trunks. Meanwhile
Tib had sent our bill poster to Quelta
to hang up few valentines. advertis-
ing the coming of the show, and incl
dentally to slip into Murphy's hand a
note of minute Instructions.
This done. Tib tried to get me to
go north and sit on the farther bank
of the Rio and await the last curtain
or course ] wasn't for that, and he
blessed me and said we would proba-
bly, wind up as salt miners. Then he
directed me to throw some hardware
and cartridges into the cages, and on
Saturday morning, with two closed
animal wagons, we started for Quelta.
We had one man who could drive
chain-lightning, let alone the most
erratic Mexican mule, and. best of all,
we could trust him.
1T took us a day to cover the short
stretch over their rotten roads, but
at last we arrived at Quelta amid
Toltec buzz of excitement, and pitched
the side-show tent, as II preparing for
the Sunday performance.
My plans are built like watch,
and II it don't happen in FIVE minutes
I've missed fire. groaned Tib. as we
unlocked the covers to the carts
Then it happened. First we heard
a yell; then half dozen champagne
bottles opened in quick succession. and
the little chapel bell began ding-dong-
ing excitedly.
Next. with fierce painting. four men
burst through the chaparral that came
up to the rear of our tent and plunged
inside the white walls | had Just
time to notice they were haggard and
unkempt and then in a second the
wooden covers were down to allow
them to enter the cages. and then
snapped back in place again.
I'm afraid, Billy declared Tib,
calmly. as he began sorting out some
posters. that the rest of the show
won't arrive in time for to-morrow's
performance.
Just as he said this bevy of vii.
layers. headed by our trusty driver,
Collins, burst through the canvas,
yelling and brandishing carbines and
other impedimenta.
-Four men escaped from the SOL
diers. Mr.. Smith. and I told the guards
thought they came this way, painted
Collins. with an expressive wink.
What?' roared Tib, in Spanish.
'Law-Dreakers escaped Free passes
to the brave men who capture 'em. I
believe they did pass this way behind
the tent in the brush. / heard a
crashing and thought 1t was a mule.
My lion growled fiercely. Hark! He
is growing now!"
The gang paused in running away
to hear the growI and Tiberius, stand
ing near Murphy's cage. hissed
'Growl. you villain. growl!'
And thereat a most blood-chilling
roar came from Murphy's den, and the
others, to make sure. began to throw
in series of yells that would cause a
Bowery gallery-god to go home and
through sheer envy take lessons. The
crowd fell back in a wave; it simply
swept 'em of their feet, sir. To cap
the climax Collins cried: Don't let 'em
get excited. Mr.. Smith! Remember
the three men mauled to death In Ell
Paso.
After they'd gone. Tib turned to
me and grinned. I think we'l win the
trick. And isn't that Collins a
jewell
Now each cage was divided by a
grating Of bars, and in each cosy
nook was one of the comic opera suits
I'd brought from El Paso. In de-
signing these animal make-ups Tib had
made use of air chambers. so that
when man got tucked into one and
the bicycle pump had been agitated
for padding you had a real. life-like
beast, with muscles standing out like
barnaclas on a forgotten dredge. OF