I
r
Hue Mystery 3 ftSne Lcte(ffl E&wdMo w va cuion.
ill
i ip
T was my wonderful old It e nd. Knnoh
Voyce, who first brought me (o On- notice of
the polic. .Nut. li t nir tia -t ii to n,l 1 in
tiny criminal capacity, t t 1 1 sin-ply fur the
us.- -f my sirvics ns a phntou-rapht-r.
Photography plays In tlc-sp It 1 1 r Jm a"
t T rl'int i . t t In iTimin.il in st 'ir-i t in : and
i' was to my -klll th.lt I nw. .1 tli.lt curious
w lii' V hid for iti center a certain aristocratic
known b Hifhhridge Spa. in certain
midlands. Ami it b.gan In mystery, and.
com. ni'-'l It nded in the
h . v( mill mys.-lf were
s i it r illy known.
I nay my thut Kn
ml vi nl ui i
establishment
rounty In th.
so fares i hi- g-n r.il ml, lie w.-i
Mini' fad ion. for onlv to Dm
th- i-x'ri .rdm-i ry i-lri-tmisint'o.-si
To ,nt II,.- t-r.-iM Mi- I. ill ily
oyi-i i ri Mi- into toy studio nn- morning, ushering in Willi
nn mr of importune. ;i tall. il.uk man. w ho, ev n as he
lowed io uii-, i i mi il lo take In i vi-ry corner df the
room nl,. I i In- fort-it nr.- mil to. in one sweeping glance.
I J'ihiI'-'I a !i!ii- :it hearing liis name- Inspiotor Clair
of Sl-oH in, I V;ir l.
Th- Insp.-i tor was iifT iM'-. n ml quite willing to explain
Ids busin- ss. 11.- l .i.l . i n km-wn to Knoeh. Voyee for
hi -v ral yi-a r. and l h Iml n omn,. n-lod mr to his al
tintion. A ,l on ki : plu-r ua n. uiriil tor some delicate
work in cfinni'i turn wi'h a r, bu ry. 1 ml 1 ran- to under
laki' It? II wa- a .,(,,.. n-iM.r, ami It might provo In
ti n ?' ing. Th" ii, -p. to- iitnl. rt,MW tliat hi i-onl,i r'-ly
upon my rli-, rn i, a,, (if . ,. n s. . a ptod : nn, llial was
11. beginning of a I,,;' n villi h look me that day Into
tin- mi, Han, I, wi'h i-.i.o li oyoc ami tin- Inypii-tor for
company. Having a ompai tin- nt to ourselves In th3
train, tin- inspector pro. .- ,.-,l to explain tin- circum
stances, so far as 1 ti i - v.er- known to him.
It cone, mod a 1 i. li i i i vi , I n.cklaci a thing of consldcr-
fa ,,nti meeting place fir the guests of the linn I. and.
uuring the time In which it couhi have turn possible fr-r
tho r.x klai i- to havo !- n takrn. thp ycranila hail 1 tn
crnwiii-il with fruepts. nnil thp window, thi ri fore, unap
proin ha l.-.
M r. I". atl. y H! h maswlyp woman, with n ronn l. In-non-ni,
hal'Vish far-r. She put the matt.-r ch arly ! fori
I h. insp.ctor. with I t fy. brows much rl.-vati'il. anil
iii-i yous haml makltin f.-.-hlr Ki sturi-s.
" It was most alualil-- ami 1 woulilti't lop. it for th
w orliV 1 ha.l w , i n it i v, ry nlKht at dinner, and It had
1,.-. n tri-atly ii,lniir.;d," f-lu- said.
"Not another I i k I' anywhere!" oorrolxirated Mr.
1'iatliy. a lit 1 1 loan Willi a bald head. "Only I wish
ou hadii t wot n it po p;iblirl . my loyp."
We pr i ,1 , to i xaniine ilie room. It was a wall
nppotnti-.l In d'oori. eM , ,-diiiely well furnished, but with
tiothliiK r. mark : I ! about it. Tin-re was but one door In
It that door w ill
one la r:ze V ill i ' i v . I
roof of the v. rami a.
the robbery took plio
liae erawleil alou-; th.it vi i-anda roof tins.-, n o
luard The il.inw a .-'earlx out of thi iues!ion
onl- p,Ksib:lit was tint tin- woman had made son,,
take as in tin- tine- at v I Irh he missed the iieckla,,
that, after lie- li.nl I, -ft the yrramla, foiih on
r-all ai-proarin d tin w'mlow by Its roof. In whi,-h na-e
Il w mid have bt u -in eas mnU.r to ri-aeh In ,i h ind
and sn-itrh the tl.ii'K from thi dii ssinir table, wli, ri- Mrs.
l-'i at ii v a, know 1 ,1m , h,n inu left t he ne kin re.
ju.si ,,ii-il upon that point, sl.p said nhe never troubled
mui h about puttitiK things away, beeanse she had made
a pra.the always of loekiim her room, and so transform
ing it into on.- larkfe safe for all her posseFslonu. At th
Most eittalnly had bi-n loeked-jind
low ti e sill of which was the iron
It was utterly Impossible that, as
In broad dayliKlit. any one could
un
Thc til is
. and
had
i-T. Vi t r- if - -
'!t-&ir '.' -J' .JD" d HUB
-vS 1 ' 111 . V 1 1 H
11 i ', ! y
1 !
I is V
7
' 7
s 1l-
a
able value, which bolonned to a woman staylns at HiKh
bridne Spa. Ilitflibrid-Jrr Spa was a partietilary select
jilace. and the most select hotel In it was known as the
Cloister hotel, and from a room In it tin- necklace had
disappeared. Tin- local police had been, of course, baffled,
and Inspector Clair had been sent for. I was informed
that It mlKht mean a iiuestlon of HuKi-r prints and such like
matters.
So far ns the Inspector had been inform, d. the woman
stoutly asserted that the room had been locked from the
time in which the necklace had In ell placed in it until the
moment when, unlockinc It attain, sin- had discovered the
article itmii-; so that, in all probability. It looked like
frank burnlary by some one outside the place.
"I should say myself that It Is the work probably of
some expert London man, already known to us," Haid the
Inspector coolly; " and, in thai case, it won't take long to
lay hands on him."
It was to take Ioiiki r than the inspector Imagined.
When we arrived at tin- place, iinl. after tin Interview with
:h.- manager, were at last confrontid with the woman who
had lost t lie necklace, and with her husband, the inspector
lienan to tlnd himself baffled.
Mrs. l-'catley stink to h.r assertion that the door tiad
been locked, and was hacked up In It by her husband.
As a matter of fact, tin1 poor man had wanted to enter
the room duriiiK the late afternoon, and had been unable
to do so. owitiK to his wife's precaution. The room belnif
on the first floor, th.- Insp.ctor turned his attention to
the outside, and tin-re he met with repulse number two.
Tin window mood alsive a broad, shaded veranda, the
inspector's suffg-eKtlon t took photographs of various parts
of the woodwork of the window Bill, and of the room Rene-rally.
The room had not been slept In since the robbery,
and the local police had left It undisturbed. A couple of
scent bottles had been knocked over, and a hair brush
was lyinR on the floor that was all. Hut In this latter
connection we cleaned a curious piece of Information.
A cardboard box that had contained chocolates had
Wen half emptied of Its contents, and some of the choco
lates scattered about the floor. The box had in en intact
when Mrs. FYatlcy had left the room and locked the door,
yet that was what she found on reentering it.
" A curious burglar, to eat chocolates V exclaimed the
inspector, turning to me. " Now, If it had ts-en a child "
lie ilid not finish his senti nee. To ti ll the truth, he
looked more puzzled than ever. Paring the time lie had
been examining the room, I had seen Enoch Voyee p. i r
Ing about curiously, like a wise old bird, with his gray head
on one side; but lie did not seem to lie able to make any
thing of It.
We all came together out of the room, and the In
spector proceeded with the work of questioning the guests
as delicately as possible as to their movements on the
afternoon In question, and the -servants not quite so deli
cately. Put everything seemed clear and straightforward.
There was no duplicate key anywhere, nor any key that
fitted the room, and the guests seemed to be frankness
Itself. 80 far as we could Judge, there was no way Into
that room save by the door or the window; and the window
during the time suggested would have been impracticable,
while the door was locked. As there was a dark room In
l!n hot.! for the use of such amateurs as might require
,t. 1 retlr. ,1 to It. and developed the sermlnglv uninip, a I 1 nt
i-.. toirraphs I had taken. IVisiness called Inspector Cliir
Kt, k to London, and I was deciding to aeenmpatiy him.
v. h 11 Knoeh Voyce drew me aside and suggested that we
1 , in a i u at hast the night.
" I ve made a discovery," lie whispered hurriedly.
I knew enough of the old man by that tinn- to trust
myself absolutely to his guidance. -I then fore arranged
that should have a couple of rooms thill night at the
lot. I. and promised the inspector to send on tin- photo,
graphs as soon ss thev ware ready. I eouh! not get from
Kneel. Yovi-o any niiKWers lo my eager questioning He
siinpl sin, ok hi" head and told me to wait. I found thai
We Were objects i.f Intenst to the guests In tin- hotel, as
ti.ing connected with the police, and 1 was able to turn
my visit to advantage by taking several photographs. As
the day wore on. Knoeh Voyce contrived to make himself
agreeable to the guests. Me had a fund of anecdotes, and
I was not surprised to find hiin. about lo o'elm k at night,
the i-nt.-r of a little group in the smoking room a little
group shaken by gusts of laughter. When presently people
b gin to repair to bed. Knoeh Voyee still lingered, until
he and I and a couple f other men w. r. the only ones left.
And tin- other nu n were Mr. Featlej. tin- husband of the
large woman who had lost the necklace, and n oung.
bright looking fellow i in. re boy- named W'.il. sby. I
utid-rstood that the young man's family mother and
fatln r and sisters-w, re staying in th, hotel a',o.
Naturally, wi'h F.-athy tier,-, the conv. t sat 'on twined
again to tin robin ry. I think Ft Hi. y w.- a little si. k
of it. and would have been glad to forg. t th - subj. ct. for
that night at least; but young Wah-shv would u,t let
It alone. He returned to it auaui and a-. -in. had all sorts
of subtle theorhs to sug- st i. ac-,,ii'-.t for th-- i:sap
pearance of the necklace; though! it might be possible
that some one had taken an lmpr, s t,,n of tie- key and
had had a duplicate niad- ; even t, it s,,me in. might
have been seer, ted in tin- room iliiroig The te a- ii was
locked. After a In il.- time discover-,1 that Knoeh Voyce
was g, ntly leading tile boy on. and encouraging him to
talk.
Kvi n we broke no al l ist, and Mr Feath y went off
to l il. Vo.vei ami I st.,ri ,1 for our toen.s. bat . v n
then young I'hilip ah sb s. etm-d loath to part w ith us.
He clung to Vo e. s arm. still propounding theories, ami
si. 11 saying h , a " !.. a-''y sham--" it wis that a gu-st
couldn't have ji welt) lo ked In her room in a respe. tal-N
hotel witl.oi:! having It stolen. Altogether synii a ' ' . . ,,
and kindly and nice, this young Philip ah shy.
Yi r-ai -In ,! the head of the stairs, the time of ;
and I Kiopp.d with the purpose of samg good nUiit to
the bo . I'.ui , von then In- did not seem to care lo p n-l
with us. Il-- iniiicn'.ed the door of his room, and l gid
that, we would come in. if only for liw minutes. 1 was
tlr. d and sb epy. bin Voyee accepted at once, and 1 felt
obliged (o I', llow. We went ill. and the lad shut the door,
ami seated himself on the side of his bed. and began
again about the robbery.
" If l il been upstairs, I dare say I should have heard
foiih thing," said the boy. " because, you see, the door uf
this room is right opposite the door of the Featleys' room."
" Yes. so I noticed." said Knoeh Voyce. with a nod.
It was at that moment that 1 became aware of a
curious, sera tchiiig. shuffling sound in tin- room. Clonoing
at Knoeh Voyee. I saw that he- had observed it. too. be
cause he was looking curiously at me. The boy appeared
unconscious of it. After a nioin, nt or two, how. v. r,
Walesby looked up and gave a short, sharp whisile. The
scratching ceased, and then, from the ton of a w irdrol.e,
there sprang down on to tin- bed b- side ilie young man
a small animal. I suppose 1 started in some surprise, for
the boy laughed, and picked up th" animal and began to
fondle It.
" You needn't be afraid," he said. " It's only Poii.j ev."
Thin I saw that the animal In- held was a small
monkey, with a bright, eager. Intelligent face. It had
clambered to Its master's should. -r. and sat there now.
with one small hand lightly grasping the man's hair, and
peering at us with its bright ey.-s.
Knoeh Voyce. who was si ated on a chair opposite, be
gan to show the liveliest Interest in the IHth- creature,
and ask.-d many questions concerning it -as to Its age. in
telligence, and so on. The boy answered w illingly enough;
and when, presently. Knoeh Voyce moved across to the
tied, the monkey allowed him to take it up in his arms,
and to fondle it on his ow n account. He set med. indeed,
to give It up at last with reluctance to its owner.
"(toes with lie- every w! re." said Philip Walesby.
"They make a special concession on my account h.-ri.
and allowed m to have it ill my room. 1 wouldn't part
with it for the world'"
Winn finally we shook ourselves free of the young man
and went off to our own apartments. Knoeh Voyce came
for a momi nt into my room. He stood there, with his
head on one side, and did not l, k n I me.
" W. 11." I said, "have you mad,- any discoveries?"
" Yes." he said, quickly; " I've found the thief."
"Who Is it?" I asked, looking at him Incredulously.
"Ill t.-ll you tomorrow." he said, and chuckled, and
went off to his room.
I awoke the next morning lo find Knoeh Voy.H- seated
on the side of my bed. From the gray light which tilter.ii
through my window-, I knew that it must b quite early.
I was a little surpi is. ,1. and. to tell the truth, a little an
noyed at being disturbed. A moment's reflection, however,
convinced ny1 that the old man had a strong reason for
waking me at such an hour.
" What's the matter?" I asked, starting up in bod.
" I told you last night that I had made a discovery,"
said Voyee, rubbing- the side of his nose with one finger,
and looking at me with something of a troubled air. " I
want your help, however, befori I decide whether or not
I am right in certain conjectures I have made. I suppose
you have with you that instrument you once showed me
for photographing microscopic en'argements?"
" Yes, I have," 1 replied.
come witli me
lie said, and
" 1 l-.'-n Hi t up and
hurt i. ,1 out of the room,
I iltistd histily, iin, joined Mm in his room. Tin
light was good now. and 1 was prepared for anything
he might snggtst. To my astonishment. In- drew from
his pock. I a tiny leatlur ins.-, and from that a little
f.-ld-d piece of oiled pap. r W aving me aside with his
hand, he car.-f-.illv op m-d thi pain-r and deposited 11 on
the table, drew another similarly fold, d piece from the
little , ase and opened that beside the fitst.
" I'on t l-rea'he too hard or you'll bhw 'em awav." he
said. " 1 want you to t.ik,- a holograph of 1 microscopic
i nlai g. -i.i nt of the small b lirs in eai h of these pat kids,"
"llilr?" I askd In amazement.
" Ye and 1m- particular to photograph each packet
s-pil lately."
1 set to work with that tblicate operation. Later on
in the day 1 was able to go to him with th.- two photo
graphs of the coarse looking spik-tl 'longs photographs
of the enormously magnilied hairs. 1 eonfiss 1 was pitzl.-d
as lo what In- wanted them for. I was more puizhd still
that !' should have wished me to k- p the two packets
s. pniat,. siting that the photographic results of each
wt re identical.
Knoeh Voyce viewed the rtsults with , xtreme satisfac
tion. After survi ving tie- photographs for some tinn he
sudd, nly put t lo on in his p,u kit. and n-tpn sted me to go
for a walk wi'l- him. We left the hotel and walked away
Into the seclusion of 111
sat down togethet.
" Now. In Ihe m-st I
began, " I ha ve rue'
I have also !', ai a-1 1 h- ' ;
that had b- -n o. cap ' 1
struck by the fact t .
thing b.
box tha
only th.
had l -
lillo the n
was mil
bright th.
i tak. n
- ground.-. loiind a seat, and
my dcr Hal tt nbuiA ." he
n 'vio has tin- necklace, ami
;. Win n I i xamitied iht- room
i .'rs i-', it lev yesterday 1 was
!lio- chocolates were the only
Hi it had b- - n taken. A Jewel
o. k'-tl had not been disturbed;
tin aniiiiit could sw.11,11 Young Willi shv would rely on
the fid thai the monkey woo-1,1 seize II,. sparkling thing
f o-te it caught his tit-, Thi whistb to which it was
so oh .t . n t last night would tinmediali ly bring him lii.-k
tl rough tl . ventilator with his prise. Tin- chocolates
would tempt lie rfiii'iiHl. and at the sound of the whistle
he would kn H k them oy.v and scatler the things on the
dressing lil-!- .Iu1 as w,. a w for ourtl.s. My tbar
Haiti nhii! v, the thltf Is Philip Walesby. and I'm going to
have an in'.-iiew with that young man"
Without atioth.-r word wa walked bat k to the hot. I.
The iruii were lounging on the veranda, and we look, ,1
sharply about In ouest of th,- young man He was nowhere
lobe seen. I saw his mother seated lilt re. Knowing what
I knew. I felt sorry, for her In a moon nt or two Via iv
came bat k to me. and whisptred a startling piece of in
telligence. " He's gone." he said "The chl.-r Walesby says that
ihe son has b. en calhd sud-h-nlv to London on business,
and we know- lie carries that necklace with lutn. There
are not many trains, we mav manage to find him yet.
let your things togt-t her; t li- re s no I a moim nt to tie lost. "
We paiil our reckoning and departed The last thing I
r. inemhi r he-irlnir is Mrs. Featlev bi wailing to a group
ot friends hi r loss, declaring "'al she was m ver likely lo
see the necklace again. And there, grinning at In r from
the shoulder of one of young Walt-shy s preily sisters, sat
I In inonki '
Tin train had n in lesl the platform ns we got to the
station. We had a run for l! On lie- journey up we dis
cussi d the in ittei- from ari,.us points of It w . ami 1
could see that r.no, h ',ot-e was 1 u.zh d as to what his
11. xt move should be lie had secured Wlb shy s addles
from the visitors book at the hob I; but he cvhlentlv had
no hope of I'm, Inn; the bin- at his lather's house. Fortune
favored us. however, lor at tin- Loudon I. rnilnus. as we
rose to have ihe carriage. Knoeh Vovee suddenly pulled
me back, and pointed with an exclbd forellnger. Philip
.n-;. 1-:
that Is
Xi
to
ised on the tin
y . bt vend the
ssiug table
chocolates
Walt
way
sby was walking ,,uitkl
to the barrier H I id
past tin
actually
window on
tr.iviltd in
his
the
j f . R -
a "11 P
' rr f
-av m.;:f -v
E ;' . .
T" i - V .
Clearly, then. Ihe thief had been a child, or some animal
to whom the sweets proved Irresistible. The Idea of the
child was lu gativid ut unci : it could not have got into the
room. Hut an animal might have done It."
P.t-ini mbi -r'ng tie- v -nl.-- of the prcvlouii night. I
gas)M .1. and look, d at hi-n womb ringly; but I said nothing
" 1 found on the dressing table a few short, grayish
hairs I managed to pick up thi-i e or four of them." went
on Knot h Voyee. " I was puzzled about them, becausit
tin y welt not long Hough to be tl.-- hairs from a woman's
head, or i ven from a man'r. I k.-"t my discovery to my.
self, not 'hitikin-; m-e-i, of it -!'-, ling, indeed, that a stray
cat from tin- hob I might have got into the room ami
performed her toilet on the dressing table. Iast night,
however. I was struck by the deep anxi tv shown by young
Wahsby concerning tin- robbery, and tin- moment 1 saw
the -monkey. I had the ch w."
' " Then the two little pack- Is of hair -"
"The one contaim d (In- hairs picked up on the dress
ing table; lie- other certain hairs picked from my sleeve
aftir I had nursed tin monk' y. As you saw by the photo
graphs, tiny are exactly the same; more than that, the
rounded point of each si ows tiny --ame from an animal a nd
not from a human being. Tlu-v have never been cut. Ob
viously, thi refore, the im-nki y has at some time or other
bis n in that room, and I think 1 know in what way."
" What is your theory?" i asked.
"Above Ilie door of the room is a little swing venti
lator." said Knoeh Voyee, laying a hand on my knee, and
looking at nn earnestly. " It would be an easy thing
for young Wabsby to put the monkey through that.
There's a portiere over the door inside, down and up which
same train.
The lad was on the point of hailing a hansom, when we
took hold of him by an arm apiece. 1 do not think I have
ever seen ary one more asionished in my life. lie pre
tended that he was glad to s, e us; but his lace was as
white as death. Ill a low ymci Knoeh whi p red what our
errand was. and what we knew, ami from the look in
Knoch's face the boy saw that the game was up.
"I wanted 11 for a woman." he splutt, fed afterward,
when we were seated w ith him in the corn- r of a restau
rant, and he was pretend, m; to -it mho. Inn, h "People
say hard things about h-r. arid call leT an a I .a nt uress.
She's older than I am. She's married most unhappily
married but I love her. 1 saw that woman l-'eaihy wear
ing the thing, and I was tempi, d. I didn't think any one
Would ever suspi et aboil' Ponipey."
" My boy." said Kn n-l: Voyei , almost tenderly, "you've
got a long life before you. wi'h link; and you've got a
mother and sisters v. ho w orship the ground you tread
upon. If tin y knew of this - as tin y ought to know
what would happen, do you think'"'
The boy bit his lip. 1 saw the tears start to his eyes.
Hut In- did hut sp ak.
" You're -i gentleman, and so I put you on your honor,"
went en Knoeh Voyee. " I'm compounding a felony, but
I'm doing that for the sake of your people. Swear to me
that you will never sec this woman again, and I and my
friend lure are silent, and no one will ever know-:"
Kagerly enough the boy made the promise, and, I be
lieve, he kept it. And Mrs. Featley to her astonishment,
r should Imagine received a registered packet the next
day containing the necklace.
w w w s w m mim w .
m t -rN . www w ww ww ww
m m- w m w m m w- m
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww www
V
From the JaYfis of Death.
TWKILLI&CG STORY OF ACE WITH
TRAIN WITH CHILD'S LIFE AS STAKE.
. T WAS Tuestlay, the busiest day in the week in
many collage homes.
Mrs. Thomas was bending over the washtub,
hard at work.
Playing Willi In r doll In the kitchen was Rosle,
t lie little ;i year old daughter of the house.
" Muvver," she lisped, "me wan.s oo to pay horses."
"Mother'! busy, darling," was the reply. "Play with
dolly a little longer."
Kosie took Mrs. Thomas' advice, and continued to play
with her doll for a time; then, when mother's back was turned,
she toddled out lo the garden behind the house.
Along the foot of the garden ran a branch line of the Lon
don and Northwestern railway, the two being separated by
only a poor hedge full of gaps.
With herdollie under her arm. Kiie wa tided her way dow n
the garden path until she came to the hedge.
Ijs,king through this, she espied a kitten banking In the
sun on ihe railway hank.
" Kitty," called Rosle; " Kitty, turn here."
Kitty took no notice, so Rosle toddled through a hole In the
hedge, dropping her doll In the process, and was Just going
to stroke the kitten when II woke up and strolled off.
Rosie follow. -d It along the bank. Then the kitten wan
dered on to the line.
SHU Rosle followed, all unconscious of danger.
Mrs. Thomas had now looked up from her work and missed
her little one.
" Kosie! Rush-!" she tailed. Hut there was no amvi-r.
Remembering the railway, she rushed out into the garden,
and there by the hedge she saw the doll.
Kosie must have strayed on to the track, and she could
hear a train coming.
She wasted no time In crawling through the hedge, and
then, to her horror, saw Kosie some distance ahead, walking
cilmiy towards the approaching train.
In anguish the mother started at a run waving her apron
the while In order to attract the attaction of the engine driver.
Hut was it possible to stop the tram In time?
Nearer and nearer came the snorting monster, hut still
Kosie pursued the kitten.
Tlie mother, her steps hastened by terror, sped on down
the track, flying before the engine. The rush ut wind from the
non monster brushed her aside into the ditch. She shut her
t , s to close out the horror, her breath seeming to stop.
Al last the terror ilricken mother heard the brake applied,
and the train begun to move more lowly. Rosle had been
seen, but she was not out uf danger yet.
Then from the footplate there leaped the fireman.
At top spied he ran. and. rat lug the engine, snatched the
little one from the line just in lime
A moment later Ihe train passed over the spot and came
to u standstill, crushing the kitten ben.ath its ponderous
wlietls. Koj-ic was restored to in r mother unhurt.
r . i, ' -V "i-SJtl I, W I Ml
TT7T
i&7
jrry.'--
Gallant Act by Russian Hero
ha.
CROW T of hostlers, white faced and trembling, burst unceremoniously into the
I chief tamer's room.
f I "The lion has broken loose!" one blurted.
I ' A.a .1, tl. ..... II..,...l. -...u ..i, t.-..ll " ..t. ,1 .1 ll,.d i,i a l.,..alli
glancing furtively down the passage, as if fearing that ihe animals were on
tlielr track.
In dislointed and startled sentences thev poured their story itito thi- bewil
dered tamer's ears. They had Itet-n working in the stables when the lion hurst suddenly Into
their midst, followed cli,s, Iv by thr, e lionesses. Terrilied at the sight, ti.ey had all th d
10 the far end of the stable, and there had seen the lion aitavk Roberto.
Roberto! The tamer paled as he heard the name, for It belonged to the most valuable
and accomplished h u se that the l vigue circus of Odessa possess d.
More he did lud wait to hear. Seizing his heavy thonged whip, he rush.-,! from the
room. A few yards down the passage h met I tie manager of the circus, who. having
heard of tin- animal's escape, had armed himself with a double barreled gun and a pocket
full of blank cartridges.
Together the two men hastened to the stable. There a terrible sight tn, I their eyes
The rti r.-e and hiiugij animals hail Imriie Roberto to the ground. The a'r was tilled with
the screams of half a hundred terrilied horse.-, who seemed conscious of the danger n--.il-them.
Raising his gun Ihe manager tired two sleds in the face of the nearest lioness She
cowered, then with a howl, tied from the stable, followed by the other two.
Only the lion remained.
Again the manager tired. A r,mr of rage shook tfie stable, and the infuri-.ted animal,
forsaking the horse, sprang towards him. lint the manager was ready, and. bring both
barrels, he clacked the threatened rush
Hy this t ine the assistant l.inur had arrived, and, together with the chief tarn. r. stood
awaiting the nuim-nt when the Iw-n should I .insufficiently rowed for tin in to drive him t-.
his cage.
The manager ceased tiring. The limi crouched Instantly. As long as tiring had con
tinued It had stood iiiotioi.lt ss. but for the great tail that lashed uiiiuiuucly up and down
Pang, bang! Liolh barrels spoke as one. and the lion 1- aped backwards with another
loud roar.
The manager t-iubbt J his rifie. A ll-.i ill of hol l ar ,.,e,,! over both Uuin b
' What Is wioug? " i hey cried
" 1 have tiled in last cartridge!"
As if knowing that u-tory ai within its gi.isp, the li ,u advanced Step by su p. as a
cat stealing upon a bird, it drew w ithin five )ards. then i riuehced. us h-ng. shaggy malic
bristling with fur Pale, but determined to tight hard for his life, the inanagt r awaiud
Ihe onslaught, lie could s. e ihe muscles quivering b.ii.-uth ti e long fa a n t a k I lie
spring was near.
Suddenly the assistant tamer leaped forward. As l.e did so the I i- r sprang- Rut the
tamer alr.ady had seized the tin. k man. . And the li,-n f. 11 heavily to th.- gr-,ur.d. ii.o-k,
half dragging, half hfta.g. tie lamer drew the struggling an mi!
Th. n follow . d a s,-.-t , th it in t ir.-as I ft h.,s never had its eon ., !, The m in l ent d-.w u
and picked the !ton i.p as if ! ra.1 '.nn i lan.lv 1 n vu in t h-- .- , a g it- i i ur ra r ! t I
struck furiously with it.- paws. The t.ini. r in 1,1 i: in a ..-el:k gi if, Right a,-r t e
courtyard into the arena l.e bore the l.on, and then, gathering Ins muscles 1,-g. tlo r, he
nurled Ihe animal through the doer back into the Ui..
On Treacherous Ground.
FEcARFUL EXPERIENCE OJ HUSNJEH
TRAPPED IN QUICKSAND AND SAVED.
OF must be careful of your ground," my host
tT I warned, as. gun In hand. I was about to set out
jT I lor a ft w hours' shooting. I laughed.
v on n kioiioiis auiTiiiiiiii nt nut- me i u-ii my
-piriis rise. There was a ensptu-sx In the air that
in tl-d well for sport. Ktn.aiti my feel the ground
hiaV'd and squirmed as when one treads upon a sponge.
Hut 1 cart d not. for where the grass grew short and thickest
there 1 km w the ground would bear.
Presently a sharp screech si nt an exultant thrill through
Me. and twenty yards ahead two snipe ros, . darling off In
zig-zag Might at a tr.-m. nd"Us pace. Having vainly expended
two rialri,!, upon tin in. 1 ileti.liil to mak' a long elrci.t
which, according to my t ulculat ions, would brite? me ho.ne
by dusk.
Tin d but satisfied with my sport. I had airivid wl'lun a
quarter of a mile of I he hog's edge, when from a clamp of
ru.-t s a loud quacking- told me that din ks were mar. Hy
their splashing I judged that there wi re st viral, so. crouch
ing, 1 approached stealthily.
Whether the birds saw me or not I cannot say. but of a
sudd, n liny rose. Thinking to gel a belter view of them I
moved some yards to right, and gave them tin- coni.-nts of
both barrels. As I ,11,1 so my right loot sank Into the ground.
In a Hash It passed tl rough my mind w hat had tie, urrcd.
I wrenched it fiie. The mud guigled. and tin- effort sunk my
left l.g to the kn.-e. Again I struggled. This time 1 found It
impossible to raise either leg almve Ihe ground.
in the first horror of my plight I had not noticed that the
mud was slowly drawing ni.- down. Now I was submerged
to the waist.
Tins bog wan going to lie my grue!
The mud soon r, a. lied my ellsiws. 1 li i. d to collect my
thoughts. My , yes fell on my gun. Hi tter far to end my
s iff. ring- quickly than to feel the cold mud oozing about mv
tuck, then tret ping up, ley as a Sereut. towards my mouth
nd then
I loaded my gun.
A- i-oss the bog the lights from my friend's house gleamed.
I recalled Ids promise to meet me. Perhaps even now he was
on bis way.
The horrible sensation of sinking had ceased. Fndt-r my
teet it s.ellieil to be solid ground.
Ly th.s time th, sun had sot. My limbs ach.nl with cold
and my n- rvel. ss tint;ers could scarce retain their hold ujsin
the gun.
Was it a i-hout that I heard, or was it some wild freak of
faiiy'.' It Willi- from bi hind me. With an effort I looki tl
i..-r n,y shoulder. saw a light -a bright yellow light
P tired iii.v gun. A .-ore of st.-rtl.,l ducks rose and viin-
i ie -I uoisii-.- int,. lie dttktn-ss. The liert drew- nearer and a
ii . iniioiti 1 1 1 1 i to n,y jo-. . I h- I my f'-ien-i's ch t r
vo-t.. With th.- In !p of ropes ami plank.- I was soon rescind
frot-i rny perilous ,,ni, n l alf frozen with cold
a .rV -v S '
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a ' ' - A. M 1
Mr
1 t ' I aw - A - -
VA-.t
