Evening star., 1918-06-02

1t was nine o'clock and after. The
great show at Olympia was at its
height; the packed house was roaring
with delight over the daring eques-
trianship Of "Mademoiselle Marie de
Zanoni," and the sound of the cheers
rolled in to the huge dressing tent.
where the artists awaited their several
turns, and the chevalier, in spangled
trunks and tights. all ready for his
call, sat hugging his child and shiver-
ing like man with the ague.
Come, come, buck up, man, and don't
funk it like this" said Senor Sperati.
who had graciously consented to assist
him with his dressing because of the in
jury to his hand. 1.-The idea of you
losing your nerve, you of all men. and
because of little affair like that. You
know very well that Nero is as safe as
kitten tonight, that he never has two
smiling turns in the same week. much
on the program. Buck up and go at it
like man."
II can't, senor. can't"' almost wall
ed the chevalier. my nerve is gone.
Never. if l lived to be thousand. shall
/ forget that awful moment. that appai-
ling smile l tell you there is wizardry
in the thing; the beast is bewitched.
My work in the arena is done. done
forever. senor. l shall never have cour-
age to look into the beasts jaws again.
Rot! You're not going to ruin the
show, are you. and after all the money
I've put into it? II you have no care
for yourself. it's your duty to think
of me. You can at least try. l tell
you you must try! Here. take sip OF
brandy. and see If that won't put bit
of courage into you. Halo: as
a burst of applause and the thud of
horses hoofs down the passage to the
stables came rolling in, there's your
wife's turn over at last; and there
listen! the ringmaster is announcing
yours. Get up, man; get up and go
out"
II can't, senior: I can't! I can't"
But l tell you you must"
Bad advice, my dear captain" said
a voice, Cleeks voice, from the other
end of the tent; and with a twist and
a snarl the "senor" screwed round on
his heel in time to see that other IN
truders were putting in an appear
ance as well as this unwelcome one.
"Who the deuce asked you for your
opinion?" raped the 'senor" savage
ly. "And what are you doing In here,
anyhow? If we want the service OF
vet. we're quite capable of getting
one for ourselves without having him
shove his presence upon us unasked."
You are quite capable Of dping a
great many things. my deai captain.
c:en making lions smile! sail Geek
serenely. cit would appear that the
and, in the absence of one who has a
better claim. heir to the late Baron
Won Steinheld- That's it, nab the
beggar. Played. sir. played! Hustle
him out and into the cab. with his
precious confederate, the Irish-Italian
:signor.' and make clean sweep of
the pair of them. You'll find 1t a
neck stretching game. captain, I'm
afraid when the jury comes to hear
of that poor boys death and your
beastly part in it,"
BY this time the tent was in an up
roar. for the chevalier's wife had
come hurrying in, the chevalier's
daughter was on the verge of hys-
terics and the chevaliar's prospective
son-in-law was alternately hugging
the great beast tanner and then shak-
ing his hand and generally deporting
himself like respectable young man
who had suddenly gone daft.
"Governor" he cried, half laughing,
half sobbing. Bully o!d governor. It's
over-its over. Never any more
danger, never any more hard times.
never any more lions smiles
NO. never" said Cleek. Come here.
Nine. Pullaine. and hear the good
news with the rest. You married for
love and you've proved brick. The
Dreams come true and the life of ease
and luxury is yours at last. Mr.. Pull
laine."
But. sir. II do not understand"
stammered the chevalier. What has
happened? Why have you arrested
the Senor Sperati? What has he done?
cannot comprehend
Cant you? Well. It SO happens,
chevalier. that the Baron Won Stein
held died something like two months
ago, leaving the sum Of 100000 pounds
sterling to one Peter Jansen Paul
laine and the heirs of his body. and
that a certann Capt. Won Gossler. son
of the baron's only sister. meant to
make sure that there was no Peter
Jansen Pullaine and no heirs of his
body to inherit one farthing of it,
"Sir! Dear God. can this be true?'
Perfectly true. chevalier. The late
baron's solicitors have been adver-
tising for some time for news regard
ing the whereabouts of Peter Jansen
Pullaine. and IL you had not SO sue
cessfully hidden your real name under
that of your professional one, no
doubt some of your colleagues would
have put you in the way of finding 1t
out long ago. The baron did not go
back on his word, and did not act un-
gratefully. His will. dated twenty
nine years ago. was never altered in
a single particular. rather suspect
that that letter and that gift of money
which came to you in the name of his
steward. and was supposed to close
the affair entirely. was the work of
his nephew. the gentleman whose exit
foS {v,o