The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-11-14

beasts seemed to love-and to Nero,
whom they feared.
Only the night before, when the
good motherly woman had gone into
her tent, Goldini had told the girl Of
his love. She had not shrunk away
from him. Her mind was practical
enough. She was thinking over his
proposal. Let them leave the circus
to Madame Goldini and go away to-
gether. with his savings. to begin life
anew.
Then he had kissed her. Marvellous,
perhaps. but It was the girls first kiss
OF love- Her whole being thrilled to
It. She did not know what she had
answered. But afterward she had not
slept She thought Of the motheriy
woman who had befriended her, Of
the rank and base ingratitude Of such
. course: and yet she loved him.
Suddenly . wild desire came to her
to leave everything and 60 home.
Her parents were hard country folks.
but they would welcome her with her
little money. and give her such A.
lection as they had to bestow. They
would even be proud Of her In q way.
There was none of that Puritanism in
Shawnee county which prevails In the
New England states. It was q hard
land where money alone counted.
The following afternoon her mind
was not yet made up. It must be one
course or the other. she knew. Either
60 of with her lover or go home.
She could not endure the delay Of o
decision longer.
She stepped into the cage and at
once Rita began to act strangely. Per
haps she knew; or perhaps the unrest
in the girls soul communicated itself
to hers. The lioness dashed her tall
and retreated. growing, to the oppo-
site end Of the cage. The other three
hons began to growl In sympathy. and
crouched beside her, snarling at each
nick Of the girls whip and utterly ig-
noring the stands on which they were
supposed to stand in . pyramid
Nero was uneasy. too. Nero, ct
his mistress heels, growled back at
Rita, and crouched also, motionless,
watching her. The girl kept her eyes
on Rita; she knew that the other lions
would follow her example.
She saw. dimly, the crowd OF sight
seers outside the cage. seated upon
their wooden benches. But she saw
them askance. for her mind was set
on dominating the lioness, and. though
It was easy to escape. she knew that
she would never be able to do any
thing with Rita again.
She advanced. Ticking her whip
and Rita. growing. poised herself to
spring. This was the crucial moment
Suddenly the girl heard Goldinit
voice.
Come OUT" he screamed, half open
ing the cage. 1T is no good! Comet
At that moment, Just a. the girl's
attention was distracted, though II
was but a momentary wavering Of al
eyelid. Rita leaped. At the same in
slant the other lions sprang into the
air.
Rita's tawny body flew across tn,
cage. But at the same moment Mere
sprang to meet her. He could no
stop the momentum Of that bulk, bu
he turned It. Lioness and dog rollet
IN tussle upon the floor.
At the same instant Goldin
screamed and slammed the door o
the cage.
The girl heard shrieks of pani'
among the audience. She was con
scious Of the circus employees pullinl
frantically at the door Of the cage
Before her she saw the dead body o
the faithful hound. and the liones
and lions worrying 1t. She retreate'
toward the door. Rita sprang for he
again, but the lash Of the whip caugh
her across the nose, and, swervine
she flung herself against the BARI
They quivered, but stood fast, an
before she could turn again the gil
had stepped backward to safet
through the open door.
She found herself lying in the Ger
ter Of a crowd of strangers. Her frs
thought was of Nero. Then, remen
bering, she began to weep hysterically
Her second was of Goldini. He ha
slammed the door and left her to die
Goldini's ancient malady had broke
out once more. And 1t was at tn
turning point Of the girls career. Fo
suddenly she realized that this thin
had effectively answered the questio
that had tormented her.
She rose to her feet and staggere
through the crowd. She meant to 6
, away, right away. she could not Sc
, Goldini again; all her love was deaf
A .grayhaired woman was claspin
her to her breast. The girl locke
into her face a full minute before sh
realized who this was.
20, mother!" she sobbed, 20. TAX
me away, take me away"
Through the silent crowd the gra.
haired, black bonneted woman led th
girl in the short skirt with the spa,