Beadle's Dime Library, No. 406 — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

+ er, * , — a ? : . - * . Then Professor Rabbetts sidled up to him, to ' ask in low tones: ‘““Ts Perkin’s safe? say he’s sick?’ ‘Let me see first,” said Pop. ter th n a panic.” And he bustled into the stables to find Jim Perkins all ready, dressed, his eye a little wild, Shall I announce him or ‘* A wait’s bet- his faced flushed, but apparently able to come | on, while King Philip stood by him, entirely un- ' ghained, but quiet. Pop looked at him uneasily. : What made you take his tusk chains off?” he asked. Jim scowled sullenly. ‘“‘T know my biz. If there’s trouble I know how to stop it. Shall I go on?” For a moment Pop hesitated. , Then he gulped down his uneasiness and said, shortly: " Yos. If there is trouble, Jim Perkins, God forgive you, after all the kindness I’ve shown ou.” Something in his words seemed to strike the elephant-trainer with a sense of remorse, for he answered, with an earnest respect he had not shown before for weeks: ‘* Before God, Pop, he’s safe. I wouldn’t give myself away. lcan master bim any time.” ‘Go on, then,” said Pop; and he made the signal to Rabbetts, who was watching from the ring. The stentorian professor roared: ‘* Professor Perkins, Emperor of the Tuskers, with his wonderful trained elephant, King Philip, will now go through his wonderful per- formance.” And with that the professor took a leap over the bank at the side of the ring, to get out of the way, as King Philip rushed into the center of the arena, with his trunk in the air, and stood there, trumpeting wildly, and looking round him at the people. The next moment Jim leaped after him, and called out, sharply: ** Kneel, sir! kneel!” King Philip heard the mandate, and, for the first time in months, refused to obey, backing away from his keeper. Jim, with the reckless daring that distin- guished him, instantly rushed in with his goad, shouting fiercely; drove the gigantic round the ring, prodding him all the time, while the people hushed their cries and stared at the contest, hardly knowing what to make of it, or whether there was real danger in the beast. Some people on the bottom seats sprung up, and a woman fainted. For several seconds it looked like a panic, and Pop turned pale. hen King Philip yielded, porped and fell on his knees; Jim made a bound to his foreleg and thence to his head, where he stood up erect, with the point of his long goad pressing into the elephant’s skull, and looked round him with the air of a demi-god. King Philip was subdued, and the people saw it and roared their approval. The se ones on the lower seats sat down, ashamed of themselves, and Jim Perkins slowly er his goad and signaled the elephant to King Philip slowly and steadily rose up, and carried his conqueror on his head round the ring amid loud and enthusiastic applause, while Pop Hicks muttered to himself: * By gum! he's a card, he is;agreatcard. If he’d only let whisky alone.” The elephant-trainer went on with his per- formance with the now subdued beast, and Pop Hicks breathed freer when he saw that Kin Philip had calmed down into quiet and obey orders promptly. ; He was congratulating himself on it, when he felt some one touch bis arm, and ey, saw a stranger by his side, a man of medium hight, very stoutly built, with a frank, bold, hand- some face. Pop stared at him. The stranger was among his people behind the scenes, and he did not re- cognize him. Excuse me,” said the st tone. ‘I’m Lion Charley Noble. know me, perhaps—” ne instantly remembered him. “Yes, yes; beg pardon. Glad to see you. ‘Can I do anything for you?” He supposed the other wanted a favor. Lion Charley shook his head, and spoke low and rapidly: « You're going to have trouble with that brute. I had him myself once, but he don’t be- nahi as = or me = took his chains off?” im Perkins, a strange se : very like fear, at his heart. ih a Lion Charley looked grave, ‘‘He ought not to have done it. He's a good trainer, I see; but the brute knows he’s free. Get your horses out of the way. He mustn't come out of that ring in that condition.” “But hat are you going to do?” asked Pop, more confused than ever. Lion Charley began to tear off his cloth showing a suit of tights under them, and speak- ing all the while. r, in a low You dan’t a “Tm going in. to help Jim Perkins put on | the chains, while he’s in the glare of the lights. Tell your ringmaster to announce me, aS a special favor from Mr. Bownsse.” ‘But what will Bownsse say?’ asked Pop, hurriedly. ‘“‘I?’m grateful, very grateful to ' you; but—” SSS sss ‘* But don’t talk,” answered Charley, sharply. ** You're losing time. Tell the men to bring the chains. [f he comes out irto this dark among the horses, he'll just raise Old Scratch. Quick! Announce me!” As he spoke, he kicked off his last bit of outer clothes, and ran to the entrance of the ring. thrown his somerset from King Philip’s tusks, final wheel round and salute. He rushed out and shouted: ‘Perkins! A moment!” Philip’s head and stood up proudly, while the huge brute knelt. op Hicks roared out: ‘** Ladies and gentlemen—we are about to give you a surprise and treat-—not in the regular pro- gramme,’ There was an instant hush of expectancy, and coming next. Pop Hicks continued: ‘*] have the pleasure to state that—Lion Charley—who once trained King Philip himself —by the kind permission of Mr. Bownsse—has consented to et for—this night only—to as- sist Professor Perkins—in the arduous task—of chaining a wild elephant—so that he cannot hurt a child. Lion Charley!” Then came a roar of applause, as Lion Charley, with an active bound sprung into the ring in his crimson tights, and bowed to the audience; then advanced to King Philip, snapped his fingers, and called out sharply: ** Lie flat, sir!” Down went King Philip’s head between his fore feet instantly, and Jim Perkins slipped off his head and fell in the ring. Then he leaped up and cried angrily: ** Who'’n blazes are you, interferin’ with my business? Get out of this ring! Tm runnin’ King Philip.” His voice was loud enough to attract the at- tention of the people, and they began to get up again excitedly. Lion Charley turned his head to call to Pop Hicks, guardedly: ‘* Bring the chains, quick! All the men you’ve ot!” To Jim Perkins he said: ** Be still, man; don’t be a fool. be chained, or he'll smash things.” *‘ And I say, by gosh, he sha’n’t be chained,” cried Jim savagely. ‘*Get out of this ring, or by gosh, Ill set him at you,” arley Noble folded his arms and stepped back a pace. ‘Try it if you dare,” he said. Jim, furious with rage and whisky, turned to the elephant and shouted: . AND SMASH HIM, PHILIP.” He’s got to CHAPTER XIII. TROUBLE BEHIND THE SCENES, THE moment that Elephant Jim shouted to King Philip to rise, Lion Charley gave a spring in the air, dashed both heels into Perkins’s chest, and sent him on his back close to the elephant’s head. It was done so quickly and with such ease that the people thought it part of the show, arranged for their benefit, and applauded loud- ly. As for the elephant, it lay still where Lion Charley’s mandate had couched it, head down between its fore legs, trunk flat on the ground, hind legs stretched out. The animal’s small, intelligent eye was fixed notice when the circus hands came running in to clank the chains close to its head. Elephant Jim had been knocked down close to King Philip’s head, and was stunned by the shock for several seconds. When he arose again, the men were round the oe elephant, putting on the bands, and i degra moved or took his eye from the face of his old trainer, Lion Charley. Perkins looked stupidly round him, and his dark face grew fairly livid with fury, but he did not offer to attack his rival again. He remained standing apart till the chains were adjusted, when Lion Charley turned to him to say, peaceably: ‘*Mr. Perkins, I’m sorry you made me strike you, but re not yourself to-night. I trained that elephant ten years ago, when I was a boy, and know his ways. If he hadn’t been chained, he would have run amuck through the horses as soon as he got out of the glare of the lights. Will you take him out?” Jim looked at him with an evil sneer. “Them as took him from my hands kin take him out,” he answered, sullenly. “I ain’t no man’s sucker, If you want to come into this show, you kin come; but I take King Philip take off his chains. Pop ran out, and saw that Perkins had just | _ him out, [must do it my own way.” and was standing on the elephant’s head for the | Perkins stopped, drove his goad into King) people strained their ears to hear what was | —— unwinkingly on Noble, and it never deigned to. 11 with me. [ll be even with you for this, Charley Noble.” Noble, for the first time, seemed at a loss what to do. There lay the elephant, and its owner refused to take it out, while Noble belongeé rival show. - ‘‘Look here, Perkins,” he said, o@ ‘take him out. I don’t want to hurta before the guys. Take him out, and Wf you not satisfied, [ll fight you any time and ple you say.” Jim scowled at him. ‘Get out of the ring; then. I’m a-goin’ to oman don’t go to inter- ferin’ with my business. If you want me to take Then Noble looked at him very keenly; but Jim turned his eyesaway. The lion-tamer com- pressed his lips. “* Very well, he said, shortly. ‘‘If it’s that way you want to act, ’m done. You’reno man, Jim Perkins, and [ll back my words whenever. I meet yeu.” Then he turned to the elephant, snapped his fingers, and said: ‘“*Get up, sir!” As if under a spell, the latcly unruly beast rose and lumbered out of the ring, followed by Lion Charley, while Jim sulkily stalked into the stables and began to put on his street clothing without oon any one, Pop Hicks had watched the whole scene with great anxiety. He saw that Jim was mortally offended, and the only thing that comforted him was that King Philip had come back quiet as a lamb, seeming to be perfectly happy in the hands of his former trainer. Lion Charley took him to his box, and told the men to put on all the chains they had, and replant the anchor. ‘He's quiet now,” he said, ‘‘ but as soon as I go hell raise a muss, if that man out yonder won’t do his work.” a Hicks came up to him to ask: : ‘“What’s the matter, Mr. Noble? No blood, 1 hope, between you and Jim.” Noble turned on him with flashing pointed to Elephant Jim. — knows it. He’s brying to ruin your show. If I hadn’t come in when I did, you'd have had such trouble as you never had in your life before, Mr. Hicks.’ Jim Perkins, who was much sobered up by this time, uttered a hoarse laugh. ‘It’s a skin game, Pop, and don’t you for- et it. He’s played ye for a sucker. i hilip’s as quiet as a lamb, and the Noble has oe your show for ye to advertise his rned cats.” It was ingeniously put, and Pop looked coldly and suspiciously at the man to whom, a moment before, he had felt so much indebted for what he had done. Lion Charley sew the look, understood it, and shrugged his shoulders. ‘* As you please,” he said, coldly. ‘* You'll see where you are in five minutes. I came in to do you a kindness, T'll just get out.” Without further words he n to put on his clothes, going out of sight of King Philip, and his words were verified before he had time fully to dress himself Jim Perkins kept aloof and walked sulkily out of the tent, so that the elephant saw neither of the keepers. ‘ That moment it began to “weave” uneasily, red op aes and tug at its chains, till Pop Hic ed out peremptorily: ‘*Tell Jim Perkins to come in and look after his brute, or take it out of the show. I’m tired of his airs. Curse the beast! than he’s worth.” The words were hardly out of his mouth when his daughter Sally came riding to the en- trance to do her act, and King Philip, with a — vicious scream, struck at Flirt with his . oo the mare to bolt almost through the side of the tent. The incident completed Pop’s anger, and he fairly shouted out: ‘“‘ Jim Perkins! You murdering wretch! Get out of my show and take your brute with you. I dise you.” Jim, who was lighting a cigar outside, heard the noise and came in at once. ‘What's the rumpus?” he asked, insolently. ‘*Tt’s you,” eried little Sally, angrily s g her whip at him. “ You’re drunk, te t brute. you want to kill me? is is the second time your elephant has tried to strike me with his trnnk.” “Then keep out of his way!” roared back Jim, insolently. ‘ — Jerusha and cream- colored crocodiles! in I run the hull show fur you darned women and yer mashes? Keep ~~ of his way!” 0 while Lion Charley, who had just finished bis dressing, laid his hand on the veteran's arm. ‘“‘Keep cool, Mr. Hicks!” he said, quietly. ‘‘He wants to be discharged. That's all.” “Then by gosh he shall,” growled Pop, in tones that showed how angry he was. He strode up to Jim and pointed to the ele- phant, saying in a low voice: -” com ooKo <3 (E - « j / a > - . -F : s 1d ? ‘The matter is that he’s a traitor, and he He’s more trouble | heard him and grew white as a sheet,