Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1913-11-14

When he had concluded his speech
the interpreter rose and addressed
Paul Lane.
His majesty says" he began, that
you are Spaniard who has come
here to steal away this country.
Therefore, you shall test your
strength against France in the mar
ket place. II you conquer, then
Morocco will place herself under the
protection of your country, but If you
lose you will be torn to pieces by the
wild elephant. Let Allah decided"
Paul did not wholly understand, but
he was not long in doubt when, with
bound that would have done credit
to any acrobat, Mademoiselle Guelph
flung aside her cloak and sprang into
the market place. displaying herself,
commanding figure in tights and
spangles, while a long Spanish cloak,
such as matadors wear, dropped from
her shoulders and fiuttered in the
wind at every motion. AS she adj
vanced, the Moors, at her shouted
command, released the chains which
held the elephant, and the great beast
leaped to its feet and stood unstea6i.
ly in the center of the open space,
trumpetfng shrilly, while hanging
from its neck and legs the stout
chains clanked at every movement
With its angry little eyes peering
out on either side of its enormous
trunk, its curved tusks, sharp as
scimitars, menacingly thrust forward
1t was spectacle to appall the stout
est heart.
Yet, when Mademoiselle Guepin ap
preached 1t dropped its trunk, quiv
cred, and sank on its knees before
her. Thus, with head humbly low.
cred, It received her caresses. while
the fanatical audience shouted and
yelled delight at this sign of her SUI
pernatural power.
Mademoiselle Guepin arose and
leaped aside. She whispered in the
elephants ear and motioned to 1t to
rise. Then, standing some distance
away, with folded arms she quietly
surveyed Paul as he stood waiting
the ouset Of the great numbering
beast
The elephant stood watching him
Another word from the woman and
1t broke into a shrill scream of fury,
raised its trunk, and bore down upor
the American. He stood, appalled, by
the terror Of the spectacle, until II
was within five yards Of him; then
he sprang to one side and let the
monster careen past him. A shout
of delight went up from the threats
of the encircling multitude. This was
the finest man-baiting sport that they
had seen.
The elephant turned and charged
down upon Paul again. Again he
sprang to one side, but this time the
beast was warier. 1t turned also
missed him, but the sweep of its
| trunk was so near that Paul felt .
thrill Of terror go through him. The
stoutest nerves could not endure that
long. It was a question of moments
only. He looked up; in front of him
the guards had ranged themselves
with drawn swords, before their soy.
ereign; hostile wall of Moors ringed
him; In the center of the market
place Mademoiselle Guepin stood
watching, smiling. anticipating her
triumph. Paul turned and ran blind
ly, painting, his fingers clenched at
his sides.
They closed on something In his
hip pocket and, as he ran, he drew II
forth. He stared at 1t without com
prehension. The monster was close
behind. He turned; the elephant
turned too, and there ensued agar
that hideous flight and that pursuit
But Paul was staring at the thing iI
his hand now, and beginning to re
member how 1t had come there. He
had absent-mindedly pocketed /,
while in the apartments of the Sui
tan. It was a clockwork mouse.
Again the swish of that fail of g
trunk went through the air Pau.
turned. This time the elephant was
prepared for his manoeuvre, but II
did not know which way he would
turn. It stopped still, swinging its
trunk and watching him with Its little
evil eyes. Paul lodged backward
gained twenty yards-and set dowT
the mouse upon the ground II
whirred and rushed straight toward
the monster
The trunk went down. The beast
stood still. A shrill scream broke
from t-and suddenly 1t turned tai,
and bolted away, terror-stricken
across the market-place. It's bull
between Paul and Mademoiselle Cue
pin, she had not seen the cause of its
confusion. But as 1t rushed toward
her she looked and saw; and with
/ piercing shrieks, the Honeycomb OF
Paradise and Footstool of Gabrie'
cast her cloak over her head an6
ran also-ran through the clusters Of
laughing, bowling Moors out of the
market place and up the long stree,
toward the palace of the Sultan, cry
ing for aid, her skirts drawn taut
But far in front of her, roaring with
fear and dismay, numbered the bulky
form of Mahmud, the rogue elephant
seeking the safety Of its cemented
walled, mouse-proof enclosure.
Paul Lane drew from his pocket the
draft of the treaty OF protectorate
and went up to the place where the
Sultan sat.
Allah has decided" he said to the
interpreter. and held out the docu
ment
And in big. painted Arabic letters
| A.