Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1919-01-25

tlous competition of remorseiess Man
haitian But as she reveled in the
JOY of her association with Brown the
look of sadness lifted from her eyes
and they began to reflect the dancing
lights of her natural spontaneous ma
ture that had always revealed Itself
in the humorous quirk of her flexible
mouth and the jolly elephants which
cavorted engagingly when depicted by
the genius of her drawing.
Together they went to the various
ZOOS and one after another she met
the friends Of his fancy. The keeper
stared in surprise to see their temper
amental and sometimes erratic charges
instantly accept this slim girl with
the same affectionate fellowship that
they always displayed for Brown him
self.
Gently they slipped inquisitive, ca
ressing trunks down over her thin-clad
shoulders. curling them about her with
disconcerting ardor. But Sara Barstow
was Observation-Disclosures to feel that
they trusted and loved her even as
they did Brown.
There was but one exception in this
attitude toward Sara Barstow among
the elephants of New York, and that
exception was Minerva, the mightiest
beast of them all. Minerva had been
caught In her native Africa in her
early girlhood and brought to New
York. For years there had been no In
dication that she had resented this In
terruption to her jungle career, but Mi
nerva was of the species feminine, and
the female of the species has its own
peculiarities, as almost every one and
Rudyard Kipling can swear to.
The day Martin Brown and Sara WIS.,
tied her Minerva seemed not at all
her own sweet self. True, she squealed
delightedly at the sight Of Brown and
her trunk, but after they had ex-
changed greetings and Sara advanced
to be introduced Minerva disgraced
herself
Sara was q woman. Even Minerva
could see that-and she was instantly
Jealous. Her little eyes Redeemed with
hate and suspicion as Sara stepped
fearlessly forward and stood there
talking softly as she gently patted Mi
nerva'S swinging trunk with her soft
slim hand. But when Minerva slipped
her trunk about Sara's shoulders much
as the others had done, she snorted
angrily and there was no flexible gen.
tleness as the powerful grip of her
trunk became crushingly rigid.
Sara was a brave girl and she made
no sound but she glanced appealingly
at Martin Brown, only to see that he
was midway in his frantic leap to her
rescue Sternly he spoke to the infu-
rated beast which was just beginning
to swing the girl from the ground {;
swiftly with the mighty grip Of his
left hand he caught hold of the sensi-
tive tip of Minerals trunk, at the same
time plying the goad relentlessly be-
hind the great distended ear. For an
instant Minerva wavered, then yielded
to the pain of her punishment and the
fearless anger of Martin Brown, and
with little cowed wines she released
and relinquished her hold of Sara Bar
stow.
There was a strange look in the eyes
of Martin Brown that afternoon as
they were on their way back to Sara's
apartment and Sara herself was
strangely silent.
There was really no danger" he
tried to assure her as he was leav-
ing.
~ know better" she contradicted,
and then shuddered little. "She
would have killed me horribly, Mar
tin, If you hadn't saved me-" Brown
would have laughed the matter off
and turned away, but her slim hands
were on his breast, and somehow he
found her in his arms. 'It was worth
1t, Elephant Man." she murmured,
"just to see that look in your eyes,"
And Martin Brown smiled down into
her serious glance. GAS an elephant
fancier seem to be fortunate wife
hunter" he said.