Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1913-10-18

from DenluQ the mask CAME inc
voice so loud that it sounded as
scream-"Up, Samson. up, Samson
up!"
Then it 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
iance; it rose and fell, then rose anew,
varying in the infections Of the voice
! of a 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-stricgen
! Hitherto, the last act had been regard
ed as a badly-played comedy; now
! tragedy was in the air.
Gregory and Grace Noir at that in
| slant, became alive to their surround.
! ings. Hitherto, despising the show, re-
bellious at the destiny whick had
forced them to attend it, they had
been wholly absorbed in their efforts
to escape observation. The roaring OF
the lion startled them to perception
of the general alarm.
Grace clung to Gregory. "Oh, save
met" she painted hysteTcally.
The voice OF the woman behind the
bars yang throughout the tent-''Sit
down." The voice was net loud, rev.
but singularly penetrating. BIT down,
all OF you, and remain absolutely mo.
tionless, or l am lost"
~. IL 49,
cheeks pallid, leaned her head upon
Gregory's shoulder, qufverins convul-
sively.
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 left, and
I'm going to try II now. I ask you
people out there TO give me just this
one chance for my life. Keep absolute
ly still"
| Again Samson uttered his terrible
|
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 eide OF the Enclosure In do
ing 60 she was obliged to pass the
crouehing 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 che lifted her
hand slowly, steadily. and drew of her
crimson mask. II dropped at her feet
Despite the muflcd street-noises that
never ceased TO rumble from afar. the
whispering sound OF the silken mask
as il struck the plank floor OF the
cage, was distinctly audible.
"Grace!" Gregory whispered in hor
ror-"Tt's Franz"
| Grace started from his embrace al
the name and glared down upon the
stage. She sat erect, unsuppoTt ted
petrified.
| Gregory's brow was moistened with
chilled dew. It's Fran" he mum
bled, its Fran! Grace-prsy for her.
Fran looked Samson steadily in IN
eyes, and Samson glared back hxedl)
For few moments. this culver BE-
tween life and death remained At IN
breaking pcint. Had a stranger &.
that moment locked under the terri
entrance. he might have thought every
body asleep There wan Neither sounD
nor movement
Grace whispered-''It ia the hand oil
Cod"
Her tone Was almost inhuhiblc, bu,
Gregory shrsnk as from mortal
blow; its sinister meaning was unmis
taxable. Swiftly he turned to stare al
her.
In GTaCe's eyes was wild and ON
inous glare akin to that OF the threat
ening lion. II was a savage conviction
that Fran was at last confronted BY
the justice Of heaven.
Suddenly Fran crouched forward till
her head was almost on a level with
her waist, in so much that it was a
physical exertion to hold her face up
lifted. In this sinuous position she
was the embodiment of power. If shs
felt misgivings concerning this last
resource. there was no look 20 bctray
it. Straight toward Samson she
rushed. her body 1.-THE and serpentine
her direction unerring.
To the beast, Fran had become one
OF those mysterious flying serpents
which bite from affair He felt the
sting OF her terrible eyes and his gaze
grew shifty. 1t wandered away, and
on returning, found her teeth barred
rs II feeling for his heart.