New-York tribune., 1921-04-03


gentle farmers actually liked it
Their yells Of joy could be heard
afar, echoing in the distant foot.
hills, and that is why nobody had
time to give thought to Nero. the
jungle king.
FOR two weeks Nero had been Wit.
Messing these daily combats in
the circus tent, and had always seen
his beloved master in the act Of
knocking Omar both hither and yon.
Nero now saw that something was
wrong. His master was apparently
being murdered by this small man
who had go misused his tail, and the
first any one knew there was loud
noise coming from the tiger wagon.
When / looked Nero was taking q
series Of short runs and hurling him
self against the bars.
In the next few seconds those four
thousand natives Of the soil spent
their time exclusively in going some
where else. King City looked like
colony Of red ants into which some
unkind person had poured kerosene.
I have never seen an assemblage un-
assemble itself with such dexterity
and speed. You couldn't see any,
thing but fleeing farmers, running
ranchers and hurrying husbandmen.
and the slowest one Of them was
making twelve miles an hour against
strong wind.
They got away from that town a.
bunch Of birdshot leaves a twelve~
gauge gun, and the dust Of motor
cycles, automobiles and hoofs rose
and covered the town like pail.
First to flee were the employees
of B. P. Tufts, because they knew
Nero. l grabbed Harmony by the
arm and he grasped Omar by the leg
and pulled him from the ring. It
was lucky he did, because after
tearing around in a demented circle
Nero leaped into the air and landed
upon the platform, which a moment
before had been the scene of fistic
carnival.
In five minutes the only living
thing in King City was the canary
in the railroad ticket Office. Dor
lando lifted himself slowly on
weak elbow and felt of himself.
There was blood on his nose, and
when l gave last, hast: glance
Nero was standing over the figure
of his fallen master and was licking
his battered countenance with req
and furrowed tongue. Dorlando sal
up with an effort. He rose to his
feet, pushing Nero petulantly aside;
and at that moment Harmony found
us an automobile which nobody
semed to be using.
*
WITH Omar still wearing his white
underdrawers and Harmony in
his ringmaster costume, we joined
the leaving parade, while stranger
howled at US to give him ride in his
own auto. Dorlando saw us going.
and about ten minutes later Har-
mony glanced behind US at cloud Of
dust that seemed to be following.
"You better step on that" he said
"Dorlando is coming, and he's got
his gang with him"
We crossed that large. bleak des-
ert at a speed which gives US the
desert crossing record for that year
Looking back now and then, we could
see something that resembled a run
away sunset. The red in il was Dor.
lando's fighting shirt, and the yellow
was Nero, who was sitting on the
back seat, fiecked with foam and
eager for human flesh.
Toward night we turned of the
desert, climbed few friendly foot
hills and finally struck into a wagon
road that led on and up until we
came to lone ranch house. The
rancher's wife was lighting the even
ing lamp, and I thought ! detected
the faint smell of frying bacon.
Lets get out and go in," Omar
said uneasily. II amt any too darn
warm in these pants"
Harmony glared. Nobody cares
about you," he said lifelessly. "You
just try to keep still and not remind
me-"
The farmer came down to the
gate and Harmony advanced on
foot to explain thai three unfortu-
nate circus persons were in urgent
need of food and lodging for the
night The man listened, and when
he began to laugh l knew we were
saved. He opened up, and | drove
in.
"Glad to know vou," Omar said.
"Have you got an old blanket, or