The Washington herald., 1909-05-09

metal on the right OF IT, in his allotted den the
Knave paced up and down, stopping now and then
to out boldly the tent to the benches,
his green eyes having a sleepy hatred for those he
could not hope to reach No doubt he loathed all
this hustle and seeming confusion. The drum
drumming Of the band irrated him and the
gregated noises kept him nervous edge Then,
too, he particularly nasty in mood because of
the long separation from Plerette who lay
stretched out, DOING, in the other den, the space
of the big cage separating them. The cub played
from one side OF the mother 20 the other and
seemed very lively on this night,
When with flourish OF humpets, Mademoiselle
Boots perched her crimson shoulder entered
the central cage there fell momentary hush
the benches. The Knave not Interested
He had stretched out now, and occasionally peeped
from halfopened eyes, He knew that he would be
wanted soon. and had determined to resist
AToW the door Of his den was thrust open, and a
~ silence awaited his appearance. The Knave had
been expected to bound forth in his usual nasty
manner but he made He in
mood for further irritation; but the crowd pays
and cannot await the pleasure of even black evil
the crowd must not be disappointed The show
cannot fail in this. IL must make good its every
boast and the boast of the black evil cowed in the
presence of a timid house cat had been favorite
one with those who heralded the shows advance.
Mademosee gave the order TO prod him out
Now with snarl and loud throaty Missing ne
appeared, sullen resentful, and altogether danger
Gus. II evident to those about the cage that
he would mutny, fov time at least A cut OF the
ineXorable whip sent him eapng TO his accus'
toned shelf supported by the center pole OF the
cage, and there he sat snarling inadvertently. 1t
was at this moment that the cub sought to pass
his mother on the wide shelf of the side den He
wigged across her back to the end OF the shelf
where it met the front bars, and he slipped through
these, sprawling with soft thump down on the
floor of the exhibition cage The cub lay whmper.
ing, halfstunned helpless mewng thing The
mother sprang up snarling suspiciously, and
fought at the bars her eyes lighting with all the
wicked doubt OF the mother brute,
Mademoisele glanced for brief instant to-
ward the cause of this minor happening. She
moved step, as if she would cross the few inter.
yenng yards TO pick up the cub In that instant
OF hesitation Boots saw that the knaYe meant to
spring against orders Boots saw the slk.like body
stifen, grow tense with hatred, and the green eyes
snap with malicious resolution. Mademoiselle
cried out and the whip Kissed through the air
cruelty, but Boots knew that the lash could not stop
the black evil. The Knave would spring Boots
knew. She cat and felt these things; that
spark of savage instinct which smolders through
endless generations OF civilization told her that the
Knave was resolved and would face anything.
mad rage had seized the animal And Mademoi.
see must herself If she could for the time
in which this black evil would be cowed with
whip had passed.
The one swift glance Boots had given the scene
showed the Knaye leaving his high perch, spring.
ing, launching himself straight for the woman
There only whip between the Knave and his
revenge. The calculations Of Boots, results OF
weeks of animal reflection, were hurled into swift
execution. Out OF repose, she leapt to quick feline
activity. She determined to revolt, too This show
life had demanded too much resignation of her
She would become wild hghting thing, and she
would kill. 1t had been long time since she had
killed for the love of it, sparrows, mice or had
fought with her kind If the Knave revolted
against tile life, and could take his revenge, why
not she? SO Boots sprang almost at the same time
to the revenge she had long sought and bided.
From the big rolling ball she sprang murderously
intent straight for the
whimpering cub. There
might be end to Made
moiselle Boots thought, 8sNe #
but there would be edsffM%N f@& &NM
less OF these black evils EEAs a# #Nh49M
TO grow up. And ~szNs I818 MN&M
sounded a high #M Wk#fM
whining cry as &a33g@