Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-02-27

come of a yellowish paleness.
From behind the mask came the
voice SO loud that it sounded as 9
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 NO
come as one short sharp note of de
fiance; 1t rose and fell, then rose anew
varying in the infections of the voice
of slave who dares to threaten. fearf
even while he threatens. and gathers
passion from his fear.
At that fearful reverberation, the
audience started up. panic-stricken
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
stant, became alive to their surround
ings. Hitherto. despising the show. re
bellious at the destiny which had
forced them to attend 1t. they had
been wholly absorbed In their efforts
to escape observation. The roaring Of
the lion startled them to a perception
of the general alarm.
Grace clung to Gregory. "Oh. save
mel" she painted hysterically.
The voice of the woman behind the
bars rang throughout the tent-"Si,
down." The voice was not loud. now
but singularly penetrating. sit down
all of you. and remain absolutely mo
tionless, or am lost"
Nafr hnr rlo1A1
cheeks pallid. leaned her head upon
Gregory's shoulder. ouivering convul
sively
There. there" Gregory whispered
b her ear. soo.hingly. everything
VIM 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 mur.
derer. | have only one hope left, and
I'm going to try It now. l ask you
people out there to give me Just this
one chance for my life. Keep absolute.
ly 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.
therest side of the inclosure. In do
ing so she was Obliged to pass the
crouching form of Hercules. but she
pretended not to know he was there
facing Samson.
At last the vertical bars prevented
farther retreat. Then she lifted her
hand slowly. steadily, and drew of her
crimson mask. 1t dropped at her feet.
Despite the mutfied 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 Fran!"
Grace started from his embrace at
the name and glared down upon the
SNdBt- put sat tAtNNE
petrified.
Gregory's brow was moistened with
a chilled dew. Its Fran" he mum
bled. Its Fran! Grace-pray for her
Fran looked Samson steadily in III
eyes. and Samson glared back fiNedl,
For few moments. this quiver b,
tween life and death remained al III
breaking point. Had stranger "a
that moment looked under the TEN
entrance. he might have thought every
body asleep. There was neither sounG
nor movement.
Grace whispered-"It is the hand OF
Godi"
Her tone was almost inaudible. but
Gregory shrank as from mortal
blow: it's sinister meaning was unmis-
taxable Swiftly he turned to stare at
her.
In Grace's eyes was a wild and ON
inous glare akin to that of the threat
ening lion. 1t was 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. II she
felt misgivings concerning this last
resource, there was no look to betray
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 afar. He felt the
sting of her terrible eyes and his gaze
grew shifty. II wandered away, and.
on returning. found her teeth barred.
as II feeling for his hssrS