River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-10-23

derision punctuated his sentences.
When he had concluded his speech
the interpreter rose and addressed
Paul Lane.
His majesty says" he began, shat
here to steal away this country
Therefore, you shall test your
strength against France in the mar
ket place. If 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 Guepin
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 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 to it's 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.
With it's angry little eyes pecring
out on either side of it's enormous
trunk, it's curved tusks, sharp as
scimitars, menacingly thrust forward
1t was a 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
it broke into 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. 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 a
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 SOW
ereign; a 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 it without com
prehension The monster was close
behind He turned; the elephant
turned too, and there ensued again
| that hideous flight and that pursuit
But Paul was staring at the thing in
his hand now, and beginning to re
member how it had come there. He
had absent-mindedly pocketed II
while in the apartments of the Sui
tan. 1t was 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 II
did not know which way he would
turn. 1t stopped still, swinging its
trunk and watching him with it's 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 it turned tail
and bolted away, terror-stricken
across the market-place. It's bulk
between Paul and Mademoiselle Cue
pin, she had not seen the cause of its
confusion. 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
ran also-ran through the clusters OF
laughing, bowling Moors out of the
market place and up the long street
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 It's 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
the Shadow of Allah affixed his sig.