The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-05-24
BEGIN HERE TODAY

4 Madeline arranges for her to b,
taken to Grandfather .SiddaP.
farm to recuperate. To please
her partner Donna pretends t.
be Madeline. She is ashamed o.
this deception but keeps it up
even when Bill Siddal, Madeline
cousin, asks Eer to marry him.
Meanwhile Madeline marie
Con David, animal trainer will
the circus, and takes part in tn
animal act ...... q,
Donna and Bill are married
Mrs. Planter. housekeeper dis
charged by Donna, is her enemy
1 Grandfather Siddal has d;
= stroke and Donna writes Made
line about his illness.
Tie circus is. in New Orleans
Con tells Madeline she must g
into the cage alone with Lucy
tie tigress, during the evening
performance. ..
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
ri. CHAPTER XIV
! Contrary to expectations, Rem
frOe was not at all enthusiastic
about Madeline going into the
cage alone. with Lucy.
81 don't trust that beast" the
circus owner said. 81 never have
and | neydr will. Oh, / know
Madeline has, been working with
the cat for several weeks but
just the same, she's afraid OF
her. If she should suddenly lose
her nerve"
"But she WON'T" Con protest,
ed. "Why, you've seen for your,
self how well Lucy behaves, now
Madeline can handle her as well
as | can" -... ..
RenfrOe shook his head. "I'm
not afraid that anything will hap
pen when you're in the cage,
Con. With Madel,Ie it's differ
ent. An accident now would
ruin our business here and, God
knows, We need the business"
d Con laughed. "Then what are
You complaining about? This act
will get business for you. It's
going to be a sensation! Give
the crowd some real thrills and
watch them flock inp'
But Renfroe was not convinc-
ed. 1t required several minutes
of argument before the circus
owner finally gave a grudging
assent. Even then he refused to
make the announcement that
Madeline would enter the cage
alone with the tigress.
There was an air of hushed
suspense in the big tent an hour
later when the striped beauties
and their larger, less ferocious
cousins, the lions, filed in through
the wooden enclosure and took
their places in the huge steel
cage. Madeline stood near at
hand and watched Con go through
theS act that. had first won her
adeBiEation.---.--&.-.A.
.,ghe Sgreat spotlight shone on
Con, Madeline's slender. yellow
clad figure was in the shadows.
But when, just before the finish
of the usual, routine, Con paused
and announced that Mile. Gabriel
would put the tigreess through
her PAGES, the glowing light
swung about and fell directly on
Madeline, lighting her beauty and
emphasizing the delicacy of her
figure. q. /
Drawn by snow-white horses,
another cage was brought into
the arena. Lucy, looking magni-
ficient and at the same time re-
pellant, .glared through the bars
as the cage made circuit of the
tent. Then the other animals!
were driven back through their
runway and Lucy, snarling, spit
ting and defiant, was prodded
with prongs until she entered the
massive cage. na.. ,.r ,,asir
Perhaps at that moment Con
had a premonition of what was
to happen. Perhaps he felt a
twinge of conscience or spark
of tenderness toward the girl
who stood beside him. He leaned
toward her and whispered, IF
you're afraid. Honey, we'll call
the whole thing off" /
Madeline raised her Swallowed
eyes to his, bitter, smile twist
inc her lovely, rouged lips. "P!l
90 ont in a blaze of glory" she
said. She was thinking that this
was to be her fGrewell appear
ance with the circus. AS soon as
the act was over she would tell
Con that she was jumping" the
show, that she was through with
him and with Renfroe's circus
forever. r..
The door of the cage was open
ed then and, armed only with a
whip, Madeline slid through the
aperture. Spectators held their
breath. The big tent that had
been hushed before seemed ut
terlyq still and silent.
There were men on guard out
side armed with revolvers but
few of the watchers knew that.
Lucy stood in the center of the
cage, her yellow eyes meeting
Madeline's, as the graceful feline
body crouched low.
Step by step, the girl advanced,
speaking softly. "On the chair,
Lucy. On the chair" as
Suddenly man in seat just
Behind the first row arose to his
feet. He gave a low. mirthless
laugh and called out in a voice