The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-11-01

Z Die OH ali sues OF the market place
He spoke, and caCkles and shouts Of
derision punctuated his sentences
When he had concluded his speech
the interpreter rose and addressed
Paul Lane.
His majesty says" h. began, "tha,
you are a Spaniard Who has come
here TO steal away This country
Therefore. you shall test youy
strength against France i'll the mar
ket place. II you conquer. then
Morocco will place herself under the
protection OF yoUr couutrv, but il YOU
lose you will be torn TO pieces by the
Wild elephant. Let Allah decide"
Paul did not wholly understand. but
he was not long in doubt when. with
a bound that would have done credit
to any acrobat, MademoiSelle Guelph
flung aside her cloak and sprang into
the market place. displaying herself
a commanding figure in tights and
spangles, while a long Spanish cloak.
such as matadors wear. dropped from
her shoulders and fluttered in the
wind at every motion. As she ad-
vanced, the Moors, at her shouted
command. released the chains which
held the elephant, and the great beast
leaped 10 its feet and stood unsteadi
| ly in the center of the open space.
trumpeting shrilly. while hanging
| from its neck and legs the stout
chains clanked at every movement.
@
| out on either side OF It's enormous
trunk. It's curved tusks, sharp as
! scimitars. menacingly thrust forward.
1t was spectacle to aypall the stout
est heart.
Yet, when Mademoiselle Guepin ap-
preached 1t dropped its trunk. quiv-
cred, and sank on It's 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 II 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 upon
the American. He stood. appalled, by
the terror of the spectacle, until 1t
was within five yards of him: then
he sprang to one side and let the
monster careen past him. shout
Of delight went up from the throats
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. II 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. 1t vas 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 1t
forth. He stared at It without COM
prehension. The monster was close
behind. He turned the elephant
turned too. and there ensued again
that hideous fight and that pursuit.
But Paul was staring at the thing in
his hand now, and beginning TO re-
member how 1t had come there. He
had absent-mindedly pocketed II
while In the apartments of the Sui
tan. II was a clockwork mouse.
Again the swish of that fail of a
trunk went through the air. Paul
turned. This time the elephant was
prepared for his manoeuvre, but It
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 down
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 it-and suddenly 1t turned tail
and bolted away. terror-stricken,
across the market-place. Its bulk
between Paul and Mademoiselle Cue
pin, she had not seen the cause OF its
But as It rushed toward
her she looked and saw; and with
piercing shrieks. the Honeycomb OF
Paradise and Footstool OF Gabriel
cast her cloak over her head and
IAN also-ran through the clusters of
laughing. bowling Moors out OF the
market place and up the long street
coward the palace of the Sultan, cry
ng for aid, her skirts drawn taut.
But far in front Of her, roaring with
ear and dismay. numbered the bulky
'orm Of Mahmud, the rogue elephant,
seeking the safety of its cemented,
vailed, mouse-proof enclosure.
Paul Lane drew from his pocket the
lraft of the treaty OF protectorate
md went mn tn tho nIaca uhara tho /