Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-04-30

a situation is difficult, if not entirely
new" He scanned the boys fine olive
skin and Well-shaped extremitieS.
What is your father? Or if the ques-
ton is too delicate ="
Pas de tout, Commandment. I once
heard my mother say that she had
reason to suspect have noble blood.
! She was Tsigane; very beautiful and
accomplished on the slack wire and
trape7e, though one day she slipped
and fell and broke her neck :" He
shifted.
''V1a :" the captain interrupted
They grow too habituated, like old
hands aloft, then pan a chute"
He ordered the quartermaster: Take
him to the chef and let him exercise
his skill on onions and potatoes and
sides of beef. We might try to make a
sailor Of him, but since he is a gypsy
:" he shook his head.
It was characteristic Of Chariot that
he held to his billet of aide-de-cuisine
with one hand, for the sake Of the good
pickings, while often lending the other
aloft in fair weather because acrobatics
were in. his blood. Also on calm days
he amused the crew and some few pas
Sengers with tricks Of iugglery and
legerdemain. The evening Of the ships
arrival in port he quilted her as I'M
obtrusively as he had gone aboard
Past experience and his natural gifts
had well equipped the boy to fend for
himself in this new country. Following
the fairs in the coast towns Of France
he had picked UP sailor English. He
was strong and supple. handsome IN
his alien Romanesque way, while his
mixed strains Of gypsy and :. /. If his
mothers suspicious were well founded !
noble French blood gave him use
full blending OF cunning and courage.
He had not jumped ship devoid of
small money, and what could be turned
into money.
remain sailor, as that strange, fur
tive, nomadic race has a cats antipathy
for discipline and deep water.
Like a bit OF flotSam In the back
eddy of the Gulf stream he drifted
south along the shore by slow minutes
and degrees.
Pagan he was at heart, but not al
ways q gay one. Adventure was indur-
attng him. Sometimes he turned for
direction to an amulet that had slipped
from the neck Of his mother Just after
she had broken 1t by fall from the
trapeze. This was a stubby serpent with
what appeared to be a skull In its open
mouth. 1t was carved in jade and
pierced in the center for the passage
Ol n SILK LIICtQ. Wucu ILLS mole WAS
transfixed with a needle and the SER
pent spun by flick of the finger 1t
would stop with the head in the direc-
lion that Chariot was next TO follow. !
sailors cabaret, Chariot was approached /
In New Orleans while juggling in a
1y a Spanish saltimbanco who paid his
kill compliment of qualified sort and
finally offered partnership on a third
share basis. Chariot went with the
nan, Mirafuego, to his garnet that was S
equipped as a sale d'armeS and after S
! demonstration OF his ability was glad
% accept. t
Mirafuego was not only a master Of g
egerdemain but Of the sword. He was
ably handicapped In havinug lost the c
lSe of his left arm that was very nearly {
Iaralyzed from a knife thrust through I
he shoulder received six months before I
rom thief, he said This had severed 6
he nerve, the cut ends of which may t
lave been caught in the scar. a
They worked up some clever double a
cts Of juggling and sleight of hand,
nd in odd moments Mirafuego, who s
lad been quick to perceive In Chariot p
he natural swordSman, taught all he I
new in the use Of that weapon. {
Master and pupil were good friends
nd 1t was Mirafuego's plan to add to n
be interest and profit Of their act by o
ffering his protege TO meet all corners
nth the fencing fleuret, masked and u
apped Of course, and to handle wagers N
n the contest. Chariot was charlatan