The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1914-02-05
CHAPTER VIII.
tC0nunu0d
The CIRCUS.

The CIRCUS.
al PEED!" I began. angrily.
"Oh, 20 70 the dewitt"
be snapped. ana walked
Y off to where JacQueiins
49,. stood giitterins. her slim
limbs striking fire from every silver
scale.
''An ready. little sweethearti" he
cried. reassurinsly. a. she raised her
bhie eyes 10 his and shook her elf
locks around her flushed face. 'It's
our turn now: they're uncovering the
tank, and Misc Crystal v ON her
trapese. Are you nervousr'
mot when you are By me-" said
lscauelins.
"ril be there" he said. smiling. "You
will ses mo when you are ready.
Look! There's the governor' It's your
call! Quick, my child!"
"0ood-bye." said Jaoqueiine. catch.
ing his hand in both Of hers. and she
was OF and In the middle Of the ring
before I could get to . place Of want
age to watch.
Up into the rigging she swung
higher, higher. hanging like q bril-
liant ny In all that net. wire and rope
turning. twisting. climbing. dropping
to her knees. until the peoples cheers
rose to q sustained shrek.
Ready" Quavered Miss Crystal
hangins from her own trapsse across
Il was the nrst signal. Jaceuslins
set her trapese swinging and huns
~ her knees. face downWard.
Ready" called Misc Crystal again
= AID higher. =,
.-'Readyi" said JaOquslins. calmly.
Iiko q meteor the child flashed
>cross the space -b0eW0e6 thO twe
isapesss: Mss Crystal caught her By
."RsadyT'., called speed. from the
ground below. He had turned quite
pale. saw JacQueline, hanging
dizzy height.
Down, down. like . falling star,
flashed Jaoquelins into the shallow
,Ool. then shot to the surface. shim-
nsrinR like q leaping mullet, where
she played and dived and darted,
while the people screamed themselves
hoarse. and speed came out, ghaetiy
and trombaing. colliding with me iike
n blind man. a..
II Wish ! had never let her do II;
L wish bad never brought her heIs
--nevSr seen her." he stammerNo
..SHSn mise II SONS day-hke w.
llsridge-and It WIN be muroe ss
I'll have done iti Anybody out tns,
csn:t bssr TO have her die that way
the pretty little thingl"
he let 10 Of my arm ana cI0oo
back q my lon-oages came ro'""e
4 ont drawn by four horses.
\ "ita your turn" he said, IN . oasSo
vsv. sLook out for the lionsss."
XII VeIeeA out into the arena
4 AVuoiy one faco. She tried 70 smile
| ma p aid I; but . terrible. helpless
4 ssnsa ton was already creeping over
ma-tSs knowiedgs that wes cevs:
in9 her distress-the knowIeoge tn.'
III Was no LANCER sure OF mysex-tnat
With my love for her. my autnor.ss
over these Gagged thinSs nad eone'
nsss6 n. ana admitted Il now. Speeds
Il entered the eaSe. afraid:
Xmoot instantly ! was the centre
OF q. onariine mass Of Hons; ! eaw
notHlnf: my whip rose ana tell
mechanioaliy. I stood IKE one
stvnSSd. white the tewny forms
lee0eA riGAt and left.
suddenly I heard Q kseper ~
Look out for Empress Khatoum'
aIr!" Ana . moment Later efy'
Look cut, siri"
Something went wrong with an.
other lion, too. for the people were
rtanding up and shouting. and the
sleeve OF my coat hung from the 81:
how, showing my bare shoulder.
staggered up against the bars OF the
sliding door as a lioness struck me
heavily and I returned the blow
remember saying. aloud: u muel
keep my feet: must not fall" Their
daylight grew red. and was ON my
knees, With the foul breath OF q lion
in my face. A hot iron bar shot
across the cage. The roaring OF
beasts and people died out In my
ears; then, with . shock, my SOU
seamed to be dashed out OF me into
. terrific darkness.