The Washington herald., 1913-05-18
CHAPTER XXIII-Continued.


their cramped quarters swift as tawny
arrows. They were almost against the
slight figure, without seeming to OBJ
serve her. For the fourth time since
noon they stood erect, shifting the AIR,
their bodies unconhned by Calling tim
bers and chilling iron. For the fourth
time this day, they were to be put
through their tricks by force of fear.
They hated these tricks, as they hated
the small cages in which they could
not lash their tails They hated the
baby carriage" in which one was
presently to sit, while the other pushed
him over the floor, his sullen maj
esty sport for the rabble. They hated
the board upon which they must see
saw, while the woman stood in the
middle, preserving equilibrium.
But greater than the lions hatred.
was their fear of the woman; and
greater than their fear of her was their
terror of that long serpent which, no
matter how far it might dart through
space. remained always in the woII-
ans hand They well knew its venom
Gus bite, and as they skunk from side
10 side, their eyes were upon It's coll
ing black tongue.
q met Fran on TIE street., muir
INJURED Abbott, as he watched, I'M
blinkingly. She said she was gong TO
visit a sick friend. When did you see
Fran last, Simon"
Don't know" Simon said, discour-
agingly Now they're going to see
saw. The black-maned one IS the
hardest to manage | reckon. one day,
he'll just naturally jump atoul OF ner;
and tear her to pieces. Look at MIN
| don't believe this girl is gong to
make him get up on top of that board.
Ny! how he is showing his teeth at
her. Say! This is pretty good show,
hey? Glad you came, uh? Say! Look
at his teeth"
In truth. the black-maned lion opened
his mouth to a frightful extent,
making. however. not the slightest
sound He refused to bulge
Abbott shuddered.
Samson cried the woman, i'm
pellingly. The other lion was patiently
standing on his end OF the board, walt
ing. He seemed fast asleep. Samson,
however. was wide awake and every
cruel tooth was exposed as he stretched
his mouth. In his amber eyes was
the glow of molten copper. ,
Suddenly Samson wheeled about, and
made a rush for his end OF the see
saw. He stepped upon it He was
conquered. His haste to obey, evident
" the result of fear and hatred, pro-
duced a ripple of laughter. The other
lion. feeling the sudden tremor OF Sam
sons weight. opened his eyes suddenly
and twitched his tail. He was not
asleep. fter all.
Simon whispered hoarsely. ITS in
tcresting all the way through A TEL
low never knows what's going TO hap
pen. 'Taint as if you was watching
clowns. knowing what the Jokes. to
he before they say it To my mind,
lions are more like men than clowns
are"
Abbott found himself intensely ner-
vous. He longed to have it all over.
anxious. above all. to prove his fears
groundless. Yet how were 80 many
condolences to be explained away?
Fran had been a Show-girl, trainer
of lions. and Abbott distinctly remem-
bered that she had spoken OF Sam
son" Fran had just these movements
and this height. He missed Fran's
mellow voice. but voices may be dis
guised: and the hands now raised to-
ward the audience may have been
stained dark Who was that sick
friend" that Fran had possibly mem
toned only as an excuse for escaping
Was that subterfuge? And why
this red mask which. according TO
Simon Jefferson. was an innovation:
At every trick. the black-maned lion
baked. He seemed resolved not to
leap upon the wall-bracket; and. after
attaining that precarious elevation, he
pretended not to understand that he
must descend His INSTRUMENTATION dis
quieted the enormous animal acting the
corresponding part Even he began
TO pace softly to and fro at such
times as he should have remained mo-
tionless.
When the time came for the clown
TO hand the woman her violin he was
afraid, and Withdrew his arm with
marvellous rapidity. His grotesque dis
guise could not hide his genuine I'M
easiness. The members OF the band,
too. PLAYED their notes with unusual
care. lest the slightest deviation from
routine work bring catastrophe. Moth
ing had gone right but the see-saw-
ing act: but of all this, the crowd was
ignorant. :,
After the violin playing-"Now,"
Simon Jefferson announced, gleefully,
there's only one more act, but it's a
corker, let me tell you-that's why
she's resting a minute. La Confetti
get astride of Samson-the one that's
mad-and grabs his name, and pre-
tends to ride like a cowboy. Calls her
self a Rough-Rider Makes Samson
get on top of that table, then she gets
on top OF him
But this isn't La Confetti" Abbott
protested. shuddering again.
Now you've said something. That's
right. But it looks like she's game
she'll try it-we'd better stand a little
farther back"
A hand was laid upon Abbott's arm.
Abbott" said the voice of Robert Gin
ton, harsh from smothered excitement,
"You went to Gregory's house-did
YOU see him."
Abbott did not hear. The refractory
lion. knowing that his time had come
TO be ridden, was asserting his indie
pendence. He would not leap upon
the,table. The other lion stood watch
ING sleepily to see if he would obey.
THAT you, Clinton?" Simon's greet
ing was tense with enjoyment. Got
here for the best of it, didn't you
Seems to me I saw Gregory some
where not long ago, but | wasn't think
ing about him
Hercules the masked woman ad-
dressed the gentler of the lions. GO