Evening star., 1931-05-24

cage-wagon rafting along behind q ehaag.
9ing tractor in the darkness Just before dawn.
had struck esrblng and broken IN axle. A.
the cage went down . dr&wbax had cracked
from It's fastenines with the impact, the rear
door had swung open and Rajah, the hon. had
1eaped out. A black cavern had gnped IN his
path and he had raced within, while quick
thinking men, working I'm darkness. had closed
the entrance with whatever was at hand.
Dawn was streaking the SKY. So far, only
the VOL kmen at the wagon knew what was In
that brick kiln, they and Shoestring Charlie,
summoned from the railroad yards q quarter Of
. mile away. Efforts at recaptne, now that
daybreak had come and visitors were beginning
TO arrive on the lot would mean excitement,
possible failure and publicity. Therefore. when
the sun rose q concession stand rose with IL,
while men worked under cover to build bar
ricades. Two Of the white coated vendors whV
took their place behind the juice-joint counter
were animal trainers.
THE long day dragged by. Night came. The
performance ended. Out Of the menagerie
tent cage-wagon was drawn and was pulled
alongside the opening Of the brick kiln. its door
wide. Tire rinemen left their posts. The bar.
ricades were withdrawn. Deep in the cavernous
blackness green eyes glittered in the reflection
Of flashlights. A roar rambled.
Joe Edwards appeared. quietly nervous, .
revolver in one hand, whip IN the other.
Whitney Bates, shaking with fright took his
position with q prod rod, as did four other
men, to guard hole which worhmen with pick
axes were driving in the rear wall. It grew
large enough to admit man. The black-maned
head of Rajah appeared for an instant. to be
driven back by changing blows Of the prod irons
Then Joe Edwards went in. There were
sounds OF shouting. Then came the mufied
pop Of q revolver, drowned Instantly by the
roar Of giant beast, as he ragged, whirled, and
rushing through the kiln entrance, thudded
into the wagon.
Shut that doorl" Shoestring shouted.
Steel changed The cage-wagon was pulled
back to its place in the menagerie line.
Tired, features still drawn by the strain Of
the day, Shoestring Charlie went down to his
old-fashioned hotel room. There seemed little
need now for the dictographs hidden in the
streading, ancient chandeliers, or for the care
fully arranged aperture behind the heavy cur
tains, into which a man might slip by means
of the folding doors in case camera work was
needed. Apparently Shoestring had missed his
guess: there had been interference at either
performance.
But the next noon as Shoestring came down
to the hotel after his morning inspection Of the
circus lot, he received telephone cali. 1t was
Operative A. T. NJ.
You were shadowed from the show ground"
he said guardedly. 1.-Two of EN-"
The circus owner grunted an answer and
hung up. Then the telephone rang again.
why, of course" said Shoestring heartily
to the man at the other end. Always glad to
see you boys Come ahead!'
The receiver clicked to it's hook. The show
man stepped beneath the chandelier
They're coming up,' he spoke to vacancy.
sect seti'
The elevator door clicked down the hall.
Steps sounded. There was knock On the
door, and Shoestring Charlie answered. One Of
the men he never had seen before-a short
blocky person in a four-dent hat. But he knew
the other one, big man with thick torso
and heavy legs, man who wore q slouch hat
pulled low over simIet eyes
Come In, boys" said shoestTing Charlie.
"Have . seat. So you're from police head
quarters?"
The welcome seemed to please them. They
were afab1e Then the big man went through
the formAltties Of introdnction. He was Detec-
tive Sergt 1xnlroCney, and This was Roands-
man LeaEy. working In plain csotaes. They
showed their shkelds.
'AGishky OsAA 70 sse yeA bsVss- SD SAOe-