The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-01-08
By
John
Breckenridge
Ellis.

sac moved elowly backwart, always
! facing Samson.
1t last tho tertical bars prevented
farther retrcJt Then she lifted be
hand slowly. steadily. and Giew on
( her crimson mask It drePPed- Ht=A t=r
! feet. Despite the mufncd sTecrnolses
that never ceased 20 rumst' tom
afar. the whispering sound OF the
sEken mash. as II struck TIC plank
anor OF The cage, was distinctly aud
lUle.
"Grace!" Gregory whispered "a hor.
tHr--'tt'3 Fr2@
Grace stared from his embrace al
TIE name anil glared down Upon The
sage. She sat erect, unsuTI orted,
| peIrihed
Gregorys BROW vas moistened with
chilled dew It's Fran ne mum
tled. its Fran, 1Tace-pray for
hCr.'
Fran looked Samson steadily in the
eyes, and Samson ylaica o&cK lXedly.
! Fer few moments this QUEER be-
.weoH life AMI death remained at tho
| breah ing-pola' Had a stranger al
that moment looked under the tent
entrance. he mighl have thought
every body asleep. There was neither
souLd nor inoI ement.
Grace whispered-"it is the hand OF
God."
Her tone vas almost maud. lie. but
Gregory shank as from a mortal
how: its sinister meaning was unmis-
taxable. Swiftly he tErnad 10 stare
at her.
in Grace's eyes was wild and omi-
nous glare adm TO that OF tue threat
eaing lion. II was a savasc convIc-
ton that Frau was at last confronted
o. the justice of heaven.
Suddenly fran crouched t"rward
Iii her head was almost on 'eycl
with her waist lnsomuch that IL
WAS a physical exertion to hold her
face uplifted. In thiz sinuous pos.
ti1n she was The omhcdimen. Of pow
e.. II she fclt miEg.vingS concerning
this last resource, there was no look
20 betray II. Straight toward Sam
son she rushed. her BODY lithe and
spr7enttre. tur direction ufet-ifs
To the beast, Fran had become one
of those mysterious dying serpents
which bite tom afar. He fclt the
sting of her terrible eyes, and his
gaze grew 5hlfty. II wanderG. away
a.l. on returning. found ~; reeth
barred, az II feeling for his heal;-
Rushing IL? &c his very face San
SON." she called, impellingly.
Again he 'eeme1 70 feel &c lash
upon his tawnr skin.
Samson. Up, Samson. up, SalLsoc
up"
Suddenly Samson wheeled about,
and leaped Lr3n the table.
Fran stanJfd her foot at he othe-
lion. Go t. your place. Her:uies."
she cried, With something like con-
tempt
Hercules slowly rose, stretched aim
sell. then marched IN his 6I6 He
locked from Fran 70 the lmilOvablc
Samson wait ~ upoh tie table, then
mounted TO us place, and sseTEd To
f&IJ asleep.
Ard now, p. last, Fran looked a.
the spectators. Stepping igEty ioI
the bars, sac threw kisses t;Is way
aud that, s.njling radIantly. Oh
SIZE cried, with vibrating earnestness,
you people out there-you can't think
how | love you! You've saved my
life. You are perfect heroes. Now
make all the noise you please"
May we move?" called a cautious
voice from a few feet away. IL was
Abbott Ashton, with eyes like stars.
Fran looked at him. wondering at
his thoughts. She answered by an up
ward movement OF her hand.
AS though by carefully rehearsed
arrangement, the audience rose TO It's
feet. band boys and all. Such shout.
Such waving OF hats and handker-
chiefs, Such unabashed sobs. Such
inarticulateness-such graspings or
nelghboring hands The spectators
had gone mad with joyful relief.
Fran leaped upon the table. and
mounted Samson.
Now I'm rough-rider!" she shout
ed, burying her hands in the name.
and lying along the lions back in true
cowboy fashion She plunged, she
shouted loudly, but Samson only
closed his eyes and seemed 10 sleep.
After that, making the lions return
to their cramped side-cages was
mere detail. The show was ended
Fran. remaining in the empty cage,
stood at the front projecting her
hand through the bars 10 receive the
greetings OF the crowd Almost
every one wanted TO shake h5 lis with
her. They couldn't tell OF I'll cir sur
prise over her identity, OF their adj
miration for her courage, OF their Joy
at her safety. They could do nothing
but look into her eyes. press her
hand. then go into a hundrum world
in which are no lionH--ald not many
Fraus.
Look, look" Simon Jefferson sud.
denly grasped Robert Clinton's hand.
and pointed toward the tent.roof.
There they are"
Something very strange had hap
pened up there, but it was lost TO Gin
tons keen jealous gaze-one OF those
happenings in the soul, which, how
ever momentous. passes unobserved in