Evening star., 1918-06-02

or a young and handsome man, liter
ally smothered with medals, lying at
his head in the wide-open paws of a
snarling, wild-eyed lion.
My dear chap, you really do make
me believe that there actually is such
he came in. Fancy your selecting
that particular bill out of all the 9TH
ers in the room! What an abnormal
individual you are!"
Why? Has it anything to do with
the case you have in hand?"
Anything to do with it? My dear
inc what drew your attention to it,"
Cant you?" said Cleek. with half
smile. Then he stretched forth his
with the tip of his forefinger. That
did. Things awaken a mans memory
occasionally, Mr.. Narkom. and
Tell me, isn't that the beast there
was such stir about, in the newspa-
pers a fortnight or SO ago. the lion
view of the audience"
Yes" replied Narkom. with a slight
shudder. Awful thing. wasn't it?
Gave me the creeps to read about it.
me chap who was killed. poor beg
gar. was a mere boy. not twenty, son
OF the Chevalier di Roma himself
There was a great stir about it. Talk
OF the authorities forbidding the per-
1ormance. and all that sort of thing
They never did. however. for on in
thank fortune! Come, sit down, my
dear fellow, and we'll tax while we
refresh ourselves. Landlady. see that
we are not disturbed, will you, and that
nobody is admitted but the parties 1
mentioned?"
"Clients?" queried cleek, as the
door closed and they were alone to-
gether.
Yes. One. Mile. zelie( the 'cheva-
ners only daughter. a slack wire
fiance"
"Ah. then our friend the chevalier
Is not so young as the picture on the
bill would have US believe he is.@
mo, he ia not. AS a matter of fact,
he is considerably past forty. and is,
or was up to six months ago. a wild
over. with three children@two sons
and daughter"
II suppose" said Cleek. helping him.
Ter from what you say that at the
period mentioned, six months ago, the
intrepid gentleman showed his cour-
age yet more forcibly by taking
second wife? Young or old?"
young" said Narkom in reply.
VERY young. not yet four-and-twenty.
in fact. and very, very beautiful. That
Is she who is featured on the bill
as the star Of the equestrian part
Of the program-Mlle. Marie de Ia
gather. the affair was a love match.
The lady, 1t appears. had no end of
suitors. both in and out of the pro-
fessfon. 1t has even been hinted that
have married an impressionable
young Austrian nobleman Of independ-
ent means who was madly in love
with her; but she appears to have
considered it preferable to become
AN old mans darling SO to speak.
and to have selected the middle -aged
chevalier than some one whose age
as nearer her own"
Nothing new in that. Mr.. Narkom.
Young women before Mile. Marie ue
love elderly men sincerely. Young Mr..
Bawdry. in the case Of The Nine
Fingered Skeleton is an example of
that. Still. such marriages are not
common, l admit. SO when they oc-
cur one naturally looks to see il there
may not be other considerations at
the bottom of the attachment. Is the
chevalier well to do? Has he expec-
tations of any kind?"
ITO the contrary: he has nothing but
means>so large as the public imagines;
and as he comes Of a long line Of circus
performers, all Of whom died early. poor
expectations as you put 1t, do not
enter 1lIO inc AFFAIR AT AL. Apparently
the lady did marry him for love of him.
as she processes and as he imagines;
although, II what hear, is true 1t would
appear that she has lately outgrown that
love. 1t seems that Romeo more suit
able to her age has recently Joined the
show in the person of a rider called
Signor Antonio Martinelli: that he has
fallen desperately in love with her. and
He bit of his words short and rose to
his feet. The door had opened suddenly
to admit a young man and q young
woman, who entered in state Of
nervous excitement "Ah, my dear Mr..
Scarmelli. you and Miss Zelie are most
welcome" continued the superintendent
my friend and 1 were this moment talk
ing about you"
Cleek glanced across the room and, as
was customary with him. made up his
mind instantly. The girl. despite her as
sociation with tho arena, was a modest,
unaffected little thing Of about eight
cen: the man was a straight-looking.
clear-eyed. boyish-faced young fellow
no means hashily, dressed, and carry
ing himself with the air Of one who
respects himself and demands the respect
Of others He was evidently an English
man. despite his Italian nom de theater.
and C1eek decided out of hand that he
liked him.
I'VE can shelve George Headland' in
this instance, Mr.. Nafkom," he said, as
the superintendent led forward the pair
for the purpose Of introducing them
and suffered himself to be presented in
the name Of Cleek
The effect Of this was electrical: