Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-02-02
THE SCARLET
PERIL
By STUART B. STONE

When | arrived at the Charity rink
the great hall resounded with the roll
of half a thousand skates, and the
babble and laughter of the masked
skaters doubled the noise. I was late
Il knew that-so I hurried into the
baggy, blue trousers and scarlet fez
of a Turkish man-of-the-world and
waddled on the floor.
The scene was a brilliant one
monarchs, mermaids, muses. and
monks. There were all the gods of
Greece and Egypt and every name in
the annals of nations. Neptune reveled
with Mother Goose, and Cleopatra
with Paul Revere. Here were Jack
and Jill pulling Confucius about, and
/ there was Napoleon Bonaparte ogling
the Queen of Spades.
We cSrcled round and round the
mammoth hall, and the pace grew
mad, madden, and yet madden. Then
a Chinese mandarin in front slid on
one foot, then on another, on both, on
none at all-and finally on his pig
tailed head, and the bunch of US went
down in a scrimmage. AS | sprawled
atop of a fat colonel of hussars, a
voice whispered in my ear: Beware
tho Woman in Red!"
I looked up very quickly, and a
Spanish flower girl held pretty
white forefnger in front Of lips red as
cherries ct mean you, Mr.. Turco,"
she said, and skated away on the
arm of Christopher Columbus.
| ho% docs che Tonon 2'S
thought, and, picking myself up,
limped over to lean against an iron
post. Then ribald, old Bacchus
reached around the post and touched
me on the arm Gas you value your
life," he said, watch the Woman in
Red!"
GA plague on your scarlet lady"
complained; where is she, anyhow"
Bacchus had gone with Margaret of
Navarro, but 1 found the Woman in
Red She was tall, well-formed and a
bright, blood-rsd from the hood of her
long gown to the dainty French shoes
on her feet. She was a graceful
thing, too, and just now she was exc
cutting a series of maneuvers on the
rollers, turning, reversing, leaping-
and all as lithesome as nature itself.
Quite a crowd looked on, but it
seemed to me that one of them APP
preached very near.
l skated easily toward Her Mys-
terious Redness, and a little Cupid
laid hands on me. Don't go nearer"
he said, cit will be your death" I
broke away angrily, but a wood
nymph and an Amazon repeated the
warning before I had made dozen
strides.
Then I halted in a corner and
Pontius Plate stood there, every limb
quivering with fright. knew Pontfus
he was Jim Leary Of the National
theater staff-and I went for him.
"How now-the noble Plate trembles
lis not Judea quiet and tranquil as a
country graveyard"
"Shut up, Eddie Carroll" said the
Roman governor. THAT infern1i
Woman in Red over there wants to
slip stiletto between my fourth and
fifth ribs"
"You?" I said. mo, my son, you're
wrong; it isn't you. The Red Death
is after me this round"
ct mean what say" said Jimmy.
$50 do l." said l.
Look" cried Jimmy. what in the
world"
l looked and rubbed my eyes, for
thought that I might dream. Instead
of the Woman in Red, there were now
Women in Redo of them, and all OF
a strange, weird sameness. They had
formed a line and were marching
mute and somber, down the center OF
the great hall. A hundred skaters
scurried from in front of them, fall
ing over each other in terror 10th
ers have been warned" I said to
Jimmy, but he was too scared to
reply.
Then the Women in Red halted. I'M.
masked, shuf7ed off their robes ard
stood evealed-revealed as the chorus
of the Ruffy Ruffies opera company
And they began to kick and carol the
famous Hawaiian Maid" chorus.
while a small boy displayed a BAN
ner, 'The seasons biggest hit"
"0nly another press agent scheme. d
said, and groaned. But James Learv
Pontius Plate, by my side, showed
plainly his relief.
by George" he said, at was mar
row escape. believe you were
afraid"