Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-12-03


voice so loud that 1t 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-
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-strtcKen.
| Hitherto, the last act had been regard
ed as badly-played co.. ndy; now
| tragedy was in the air.
| Gregory and Grace Noir at that in
slant, became alive to their surround
| ings. Hitherto, despising the she y. 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
the lion startled them to perception
of the general alarm.
Grace chung to Gregory. ooh, 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 singularly penetrating. "Sit down,
all of you, and remain absolutely mo-
tionless, or l am lost"
Grace Noir, her even closed, her
cheeks pallid, leaned her head upon
Gregory's shoulder, quivering canvul.
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 l 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
lily 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
Cherest side of the Enclosure In do
| ing so she 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 her
hand slowly, steadily, and drew off her
crimson mask 1t dropped at her feet.
Despite the muf1ed street-noises that
never ceased to rumble from afar, the
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 at
| the name and glared down upon the
stage. She sat erect, unsupported,
petrifed.
Gregory's brow was moistened with
chilled dew. ITS Fran" he mum
| bled, its Fran! Grace-pray for her
| Fran looked Samson steadily in thu
| eyes, and Samson glared back 1xedly
| For a few moments, this culver be
tween life and death remained at tht
breaking point. Had stranger al
| that moment looked under the tent
entrance, he might have thought every
body asleep There was neither sound
nor movement.
trace whispered-"It is the hand of
God!"
Her tone was almost inaudible, but
| Gregory shrank as from mortal
blow; it's sinister meaning was unnis-
| taxable. Swiftly he turned TO stare at
her.
In Grace's eyes was a wild and ON
nous glare akin to that of the threat
ening lion. 1t was savage conviction
| that Fran was at last confronted by
| the Justice of heaven.
l 0uQQSRsJ ClOuSAOO AOA NeA "a iii
her head was almost on a level with
/ her waist, In so much that 1t was
| physical exertioE to hold her face up
lifted. In this slnuous position she
was the embodiment of power. Ii she
| felt misgivings concerning this last
| resource. ehere was no look to betray
| it, Straight toward Samson she
Aor ho1v Jfho ond Sorppnriuts
her direction unerring.
To the beast, Fran had become one
| of those mysterious flying serpents
| which bite from afar. He felt the
| sting of her terrible eyes and his gaze
grew shifty. 1t wandered away, and
j or returning, found her teeth barred
| as if feeling for bis heart