Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1913-11-07
The faces Of the band boys had be-

come of yellowish paleness.
From behind the mask came the
voice SO loud that 1t sounded as a
scream-"Up. Samson. up. Samson
upl"
Then 1t was that Samson found his
voice. A mighty roar shook the loose
ly-set bars of the central cage-they
vibrated visibly The roar did not
come as one short sharp note of de
fiance; it rose and fell, then rose anew,
varying in the infections of the Voice
of slave who dares to threaten. fears
even while he threatens. and gathers
passion from his fear.
At That fearful reverberation, the
audience started UP, panic-strfcken.
Hitherto. the last act had been regard
ed as badly-played comedy; now
tragedy was IL the air
Gregory ami Grace .Noir at that In
slant, became alive to their surround
ings. Hitherto, despising the show, re-
bellious at the destiny which had
forced them to attend it, they had
been wholly absorbed in their efforts
to escape observation. The roaring of
tie lion startled them to a perception
of the general alarm.
Grace chung to Gregory "Oh, save
mel" she painted Historically.
The voice Of the woman behind the
bars rang throughout the tent--"Sit
down" The voice was not loud, now,
but sihgularly penetrating. "Sit down.
all Of you, and remain absolutely mo,
tionless, or 1 am lost"
Grace Nofr. her even closed. her
cheeks pallid. leaned her head upon
Gregory's shoulder, quivering convul.
siyely.
There. there Gregory whispered
in her ear. soothingly. everything
will be all right"
The masked woman for the second
time addressed the terrified audience.
still not venturing to turn her head in
their direction: whoever moves. or
speaks. or cries aloud, will be my muir;
derer. have only one hope LETT, ana
I'm going to try it now. ask you
people out there to give me Just this
one chance for my life. Keep absolute.
ly still"
Again Samson uttered his terrible
roar 1t alone was audible. Tier above
tier, faces rose to the tent-roof white
and set. The audience was like one
huge block of stone in which only
faces have been carved.
The penetrating voice addressed the
band boys: Don't play. He can tell
you're frightened"
The agitated music ceased
Then the woman walked to the far
therest side of the Enclosure In do
ing so Sshe was obliged to pass the
crouching form of Hercules, but she
pretended not to know he was there;
she moved slowly backward. always
facing Samson.
At last the vertical bars prevented
| farther retreat Then she lifted hel
| hand slowly, steadily. and drew on he,
crimson mask. 1t dropped at her feet
| Despite the muffied street-noises that
never ceased to rumble from afar. tbs
! whispering sound of the silken mask
as it struck the plank floor of the
cage, was distinctly audible.
"Grace!" Gregory whispered in hor
ror-"it's Franz"
Grace started from his embrace al
the name and glared down upon the
stage. She sat erect. unsupported
petrified.
Gregory's brow was moistened witt
a chilled dew. ''It's Fran" he mum
bled, "it's Fran! Gracepray for her
Fran looked Samson steadily in tIl,
eyes, and Samson glared back fixedls
| For few moments. this CULVER be
tween life and death remained at th'
breaking point. Had a stranger q
that moment looked under the tent
entrance. he might have thought every
body asleep There was neither SCUM,
nor movement.
trace whispered-'It is the hand o
God,"
Her tone was almost inaudible. bu
Gregory shrank as from morta
blow. its sinister meaning was unmis
taxable. Swiftly he turned to stare a
her.
In Grace's eyes was a wild and ON
inous glare akin to that of the threat
ening lion. 1t was savage conviction
that Fran was at last confronted b.
the justice of heaven.
Suddenly Fran crouched forward til
her head was almost on level wit
her waist. In so much that II was
! physical exertioE to hold her face ~
lifted. In this stnuous position sh
was the embodiment of power. II sh
felt misgIvings concerning this las
resource. shere was no look to betra
J it Straight toward Samson sh
! Sashed. her body 1.-THE and serpentins
her direction unerring.
To the beast. Fran had become on
OF those mysterious flying serpent
which bite from afar He felt tn
sting of her terrible eyes and his gag
: grew shifty. 1t wandered away, am
4