THE HUMAN ARROW

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVII, Issue 25, 22 December 1906, Page 20

THE HUMAN ARROW

By

PHILIP C. STANTON,

author of '* Winslow, Navy Half-Back,*' Etc.

flow a widely advertised attraction of La Shelle ami Santley’s eireus had to be postponed, and the strange series of happenings that culminated in the disappearance of a star performer at the time he was most needed.

I T was early morning in Berlin, but a large crowd was on hand to watch the arrival of La Shelle and Santley's Great American Circus. It was the first time the vast B3>n-< meat enterprise had been sclie-dt-ied to visit the German capital. Its reputation had preceded it. The first performance was to be given that afternoon, and the watchers were wondering how such a thing could be possible ,-|< the circus rolled in—its three train secy ions of newly painted ami gilded ears a great advertisement in them-s-e.ves. The show had exhibited at T rank fort-on-t he-yiain the previous tiiglit. and had come to Berlin to plav a long engagement, or as long as the big eiv'-ns remained in any one place. finally the red and gold cars were (hunted on the sidings arranged for them in the great railway yards on the north side of the Spree. Near by were the grounds, secured for the sake of convenience, where the show was to exhibit. It was early, but the brawny members cf the "stake gang” and the eanvas-men crawled out from underneath the waggons on the gondola-car* and their various "roost ingplaces” during a trip by train, and ran the waggons containing the "tops. - or tents, off the ears. The grooms led the heavy draughthorses out of their box ears with a rush, hitched them to the waggons, and headed them to the exhibition grounds. They were ready for breakfast, and on their efforts depended their putting up the cook and mess “top,” and getting their first meal of the day. The occupants of the ears swarmed •utside. though the long line of "sleepers,’’ holding the high-salaried performers .uh: the head people of the circus, were still undisturbed. the shades down n> body appearing on the platfui ’m except the porters, who were never supposed to sleep, except w hen others were •wake. Sandwiched in between these sleepingcars, showing no signs of life, was a ■dosed ear, which plainly was not for sleeping purposes, hut which bore the lettering of the big show. Presently out of it emerged a man with a strangely white face, having the appearance of one suffering front aeute mental anguish. lie threw himself down from the platf.>llll of the goods ear to which he had l»<*n admitted but a minute or so before, and started on a dead run down the line. He stumbled as he ran, and did not halt until he had rea-bed the end car of the train, which he knew to be the private ear in which the "Old Man." as Mr. I-i shelle was known, and his wife male the "jumps" from place to place where th- show exhibited. Anyone who has travelled with a first-tda-s circus, or has I wen informed on the subject. knows how the trains are made up for a night’s travel. Fur the officials and high-class perIformers of every description sleepingears are provided, and the -tricte-t regnlation- are enfor<-ed regarding their oe eupan-y. There are ears reserved solely for married conplc*. In others the single females have their beitlis. and the same is the case with the unattached males. In bo large company are the rule* of propriety more strictly preserved than Is ihc case with circus folk. When the short, thi<-k-*et man. with the fight blonde moustache, hurried down

the line he was a very different looking person from usual His ordinary pink-and-vvhite complexion was a greenishyellow. his lip® were white, he appeared to totter as he walked, and wheezed painfully. When he had reached La Shelle's ear he beckoned wildly to the negro porter, in immaculate white, who was standing on the platform. ".Mr. La Shelle up yet?” he asked huskily. "He is? Dressed? For God’s sake. Jack -sot, tell -him I want to see him! I must see him! Understand?” For a moment the negro surveyed the other stupidly. "Goodness, Mar.sc Cassidy! you suttinly does look lard. What's ” lie managed to say, but that was as far as h- got, for Cassidy had motioned wildly to him to deliver his message, and the porter disappeared inside. The new arrival took off his sleeklooking silk hat. which mocked his disordered appearance, and mopped his damp forehead. Eagerly he waited the return of the porter, and when the latter had re-aj>peared, with the words: "Lome right in. sab,” Cassidy attempted to swing himself up on the car platform. It was weakness or excitement, or both, that prevented him from gaining the step, and the porter had to help him up. When he had entered the door the big drops were standing out like beads on his forehead. As Cassidy entered, the porter heard a muffled groan and the half-muttered words: "I’d rather be shot than have to tell him.” Whatever it was that be had to communicate to I*belle. that gentleman heard the blurted out communication quite calmly at first. One would have thought that he was merely receiving a formal report from a subordinate.

For a little while the self-contained, grev-beard'd. =’iarp-cyed leading showman of the world was silent, appearing to lie studying intently. Then he put two or three questions to the man liefore him. which were answered quickly. "You don’t think that I ■” began the other appealingly, glancing at the proprietor with a pained, frightened expie—ion. "I haven't the slightest suspicion of it. Cassidy—not for a minute,” said the

other quietly. -suddenly, without the slightest hint of warning, his face began working strangely. he half rose from his seat, his hands clinched in auger, and the ear was filled with profanity al! the more terrible because it was so unexpected.

< asswly's face turned a shade greener, if possible. He had the appearance of a man who has been condemned to execution, and who has no right to expect reprieve.

For a full minute the proprietor raved and stormed. It was seldom he showed tits of passion, and they were al! the more terrible bv.-ause so infrequent. They never were seen unless there was gre.it cause. Now the mr fairly quivered with the force of invert ive*.

I.a sJhelle stopped as suddenly as he had begun. seeming to come to himself in a second. He glanced furtively down the car, as if expecting to see his wife stick her h«-ad out of berth and administer a rebuke; but no such thing happened. Mrs. I-a -shelle wa« not such an early ri-cr as her husband. and evidently was still asleep. As a storm frequently dears the atB>o~phere. the fierce outbreak appeared

to have a beneficial effect on the eireus proprietor. It was amazing how quickly he cooled down into the quiet, impassive man, with a firm grasp on a business requiring extraordinary shrewdness and foresight. For a long time afterward La Shelle conferred with the visitor, who seemed to be gaining some sort of confidence. The proprietor did Use questioning, putting query after query to Cassidy, who made answer quickly, and seemed to be doing his best to give him full information. Presently I-a Shelle got a rail-road-map, and they glanced over it with heads t> gether. When this was finished, La Shelle scribbled a note and called for the porter, giving him orders to deliver it immediately. "Tel! Judson to bring Stringer with him—it’s important,” was what he called out to the porter as the latter went ent. In a short time two other men appeared in the car. They were Americans. evidently, very quiet of manner and dress, with that sharp comprehensive glance which betokened that their calling was that of keeping eye on offenders against the law. "The ticket-waggon was robbed last night, boys, of nearly every penny taken in as yesterday’s receipts. Tire robbery evidently took place somewhere between here and Frankfort.” He paused. On the faces of the two detectives the first expressions of astonishment were quickly replaced by those of keenest interest and alertness. La Shelle began speaking again in his even, matter-of-fact tono of voice, and they listened attentively, alternately glancing from bis face to that of When the Old Man had finished, they took up the thread of questioning, making inquiries of Cassidy, Li Sl-elle occasionally interrupting. "I’ll stroll over and look at the thing myself.” the proprietor said finally. ’’Now, re-member bays, not a word of this at the present. Don’t let a hint get out as to who may be suspected. Of course, it’ll come out some time, and forewarned is forearmed, you know. It’s up to yoa to get at the perpetrators. Lose no time.”

This remark was addressed to Judson and Stringer, of the eireus detective corps—an essential of the show in protecting patrons from "crooks” and in a variety of other ways. They had been connected with La Shelle and Santley's for years in America, and had proved more than useful in co-operating with the foreign police.

“Go ahead as if nothing had happened, and keep mum, Cassidy; if I need you 111 send for you.” the proprietor told the treasurer, who left, looking greatly relieved. While the robberv of the ticket-

waggun safe was a big think to happen to the circus, it was not the only misfortune during its Berlin engagement Something which La Shelle considered almost as untoward a happening transpired later in the day. It was after the "big top' and the other tents had been erected that this was discovered.

Berliners by the thousands had flocked to the grounds to see the marvels of the American eireus. They bad. viewed the morning parade, which Ivad given them an appetite for the feast to follow. Cassidy had superintended the sale of the red and yellow tickets in his customary serene fashion, taking a band himself at dealing out pasteboards when the crowd was thickest. Freaks—“rare and curious animals front every quarter of the globe’’—first claimed the attention of the circus-go-ers. who at last wandered into the immense arena-tent, to see the wonderful features which had been advertised weeks ahead.

The acts in the three rings and the arena went off with the precision and smoothness for which the American circus was noted, and Darrah, the equestrian director, was congratulating himself tiiat only one thing had been presented that was in any way below the ordinarv.

Ali Ben Hassan’s "Whirlwinds of the Sahara” —the Arab troupe whose marvellous aerobatic work was the marvel of the spectators—were short a man, who liad been temporarily retired through an accident. What was lacking i»- numbers wr-« r- a up in “ginger” by the rest of the troupe, however, and Darrah was certain that even the Old Man himself did not notice anything amiss, or if be did, did not see fit to comment on it.

Even Numa Pompilius, the numidian lion, who at each performance had shown more and more temper in his role of chauffeur to Mademoiselle Aimee Valiant, in her daring seap-iho-gap with an automobile, was ou his good behaviour. Miss Valian was not forced tc- use i be whin, es she had more than r-nce found it necessary to do ■ they had originated th-: act in Paris, where it had created a furore.

So when the programme had been completed, with the exception of Madamoiselle Valiant’s act, Darrah I -gait to breathe freer. Tlie equestrian director, by the way, is the manager of the whole performance, occupying the same place in the eireus that the stagf--manager does in the theatre. Darrah's usually immobile face was as unruffled as it is possible for a man who has the immensg responsilrility of seeing every act, on a triple or quadruple programme, go through without a hiteh.

A« “The Flight of the Human Arrow’ was to have its first public performance immediately after Mademoi-

•elle Valiant's act, naturally Dan ah had a feeling of anxiety that it should be a sueeess, but he was not worrying. He had seen the thing work to perfection at rehearsal many times, and he bad sueh full confidence in the •‘arrow” —Abarbanell —that he was not disturbed. It was the aim of La Shelle to produce an entirely new aet in each capital visited, and “The Flight of the Human Arrow ’ had been as extensively billed in Berlin as the •’Lady and the Lion” automobile aet in Paris.

During the intermission between the previous aet, of itself a thriller, and the one to follow, which was to conclude the performance, the audience had a moment’s respite, while the hand played a favourite tune of the fatherland.

At the same time the spectators watched curiously the big machine—described as an "arbalest’’ in the adver-ti-ements—which was being dragged out on its wheels into the centre of the arena, the stringing of the nets, the hanging of the target, and other exerting preparations necessary in the risking of a man’s life.

As the band ceased playing, the big announcer, with magnificent air of impressiveness, hand raised to command silence, stepped forward and described

the nature of the aet to follow. Especial stress he laid upon the fact that the slightest miscalculation would hurl the daring performer to instant death, but sueh a contingency, he hastened to explain. was most improbable, with the infinite care taken to avoid accident.

He was through. Again the band started a lively air. Darrah stood at his station, watch in hand, eyes glancing eagerly for tlie entrance of the lithe, athletic figure of Abarbanell, in his attire of steel mesh.

No Abarbanell! The dressing-ten’ curtain was (tartly withdrawn, Darrah eould see the performers grouped about it. but the “arrow” did not come.

Darrah grew impatient, his face reddent*!. he gave a startled look at La Slielle standing near, keenly alert, but showing no sign of concern, touched the electric signal for the bau-1-niaster and the music blared out again. Certainly now Abarbanell would appear.

Darrah thought, gnawing his moustache with nervousness, and muttering anathemas. “I’ll see that this delay costs him fifty,” he told himself. “The first time, too—delay i ng! ”

Still no Abarbanell. Darrah was fiidgeting like a schoolgirl. He beckoned to Abarbanell’s dresser, and attendant, standing at the arbalest, ready to assist bis master to go through the hazardous act. "Where the devil is he?” asked Darrah of the attendant, with a fierce seowl. • The man was cowed, and seemed loath to speak.

“Where is Ire?” demanded Darrah again.

. The answer was not calculated to have a soothing effect on the equestrian director.

“I haven’t seen lurn since last night, Mr Dai rah. God knows 1 wish I knew where he was. I’ve hunted everywhere,” he declared in a whisper.

Darrah waited to hear no more. First he started to walk fast; the farther he went the greater grew his speed, until by the time he had reached the dressing-tent entrance he was on a run. Once inside, he hurried frantically to the spot down the "performers’ alley,” where the trunk and the belongings of the specialty artist were located, but only the watchman was there keeping an eye on the men’s articles of apparel. He had not seen Abarbanell, and supposed he had made hi* entrance. A messenger was sent to the sleeping-ear not far a wav. No Abarbanell!

Darrah returned to the ring, wondering if he was not the victim of a nightmare. All he saw in the big tent was a white wall of accusing. sneering faces—or it seemed so to Iris strained nerve*. The hisses, faint at first, which came to his ears from different sections, were not imagined. They grew in volume. timid spectators becoming bolder. The equestrian director was wiki with rag.-, almost overwhelmed with despair. All he eould do was to shake his head, make pantomime representations of a man who has done all he eould. There was no help for it. As the

biasing, yells of disapproval, word equivalents in German of "Fake, fake,” rose from everywhere, people standing up in their seats and demandiug their money to be returned, Darrah got the ear of the announcer.

Presently this leather-lunged, undisturbed personage was bellowing out above the uproar that, owing to the unexplained absence of the performer, the "Flight of-the Human-Arrow” act would have to be abandoned for that one performance. As the people filed out. some tin eatening. others yelling derision, they left a disheartened equestrian director. It was the first time the circus had failed to live up to the strict letter of its advertiseni"nts. Darrah had been with it for years, and he knew its traditions.

From anger and chagrin. Darrah changed to dismay over the prospect of anything serious having occurred to the “arrow.” That act was but one of three in the whole show which did not admit of an understudy. Abarbanell had invented the act himself, and no one had been instructed how to take the inventor's place should anything befall. It was a most hazardous feat, which required not only nerve, but knowledge of a peculiar sort —a special manner of holding the body rigid, to ensure safety and a proper flight through the air. Abarbanell stood alone in this regard. When the act was engaged it had been I .a Shelle’s intention to introduce it to the London public at a return engagement, but an outbreak of epizootic among the horses in lauidou had caused a postponement of the visit to England, and a quick substitution of a route through Germany instead. It was with many misgivings that Dan-ah had hurried search made for the alisent one. Of course he inquired o,f Mis« Dollie Del Monte, premiere equestrienne of the show, when last she had seen Abarbanell. Miss Del Monte was a dashing little creature, with bright eyes, and pink-aud white complexion. which made tier seem more a native of Berlin than New- York, where she had been born of German parents. ‘•Louis? I have not seen him since

last night.” she -ail. “It wa* in th* dre-sing tent he -aid something about wanting to see if the arhab—t was -hipped <l. K., ami left me.” She appeared anxious about him, which was only natural, considering ths fact that he ami Mi-s IXI Monte were engaged. It was Abarbanell’s second - ason with tin- -bow. He had started in with a hor-e act, being a daring rider, ami lia.l later trained a troop of cuirassier- supposed to be direct from France —who-e perfect evolutions on horseback eclips, d anything of the kind seen previously. Search high, -carch low, they eould not find the missing man. What eoniplicated matter* -till more was that I newly-employed porter of the sleepingcar eould not remember whether he had made up Abarbanell’s l-erth that morning or not. The regular porter, an American, had disappeared, and bis place ha,l been filled by this man. another Amerkait. representing him-elf aa an ex-sailor, picked up in Paris. After running down every possible clue to discover the whereabouts of the missing man. Darrah put the matter up to I ar shelle. '"lt's pretty hard on it«. boss,” he said. “We all know how particular these Germans are about having everything advertised actually seen in the j erforniancC. It will mean a heavy fine with the 'arrow* business missing. Excuses won’t go.” La Shelle’s face was inscrutable for a moment as he looked at the cquestria* director, then his eyes shone fiercely. “We’ll have to take in a lot of money to make up our losses,” he declared coolly. “What with possible fines and the cleaning out of our ticket-wagon last night, it will make us hustle to pay expenses.” “You don't mean that the ticketwagon was robbed, Mr. La Shelle t” blurted ont the director huskily, lit* face was the picture of astonishment. “That’s what 1 :lo mean exactly,” was lai Shelle’s response. "During tha trip last night the ticket wagon door was opened, ami the contents of tbn safe, including most of the receipt* from the day’s performance*. were st**

len. with the exception of a few silver pieces." Darrah could only gasp and utter a “I’hew!” gazing at his chief in amazement. Then he inuttered, more to himself than to his chief, who was watching him curiously: "Abarbaivll missing, and the receipts gone! That’s a funny coincidence.” l.a Shelle smiled grimly. •‘Well, it remains to establish a connection between the two occurrences. I expect our sleuths will run down the thief or thieves before long,” he said, with assurance. “Pm not worrying much, but I hate to have to cut out one of our star features. These Germans are more than suspicious, and I expect they'll look at the whole business as a fake, pure and simple.” A word here, a whisper there, and little by little all the circus people were fully aware of what had happened. They gathered together in little groups, discussing the affair, and looking with sympathetic glances at Miss Del Monte. She kept herself aloof, and presented a defiant appearance. When .Eva Oakley approached her with pretended .sympathy, she turned on her fiercely with: "Don’t talk to me. 1 don’t care how black things look. I know Louis had nothing to do with the robbery, and his disappearance, will Ire explained fully at the proper time. Let me alone, that's all I ask.” The fair Eva was known to have made attempts to win AbarbaneU's attentions, so that perhaps Miss Dollic looked upon her advances as suspicious. What later was learned about the robbery was that some time during the night, presumably when everybody was asleep, the thieves, or one of them, had slipped into the car, secured the keys of the ticket-wagon, which Cassidy; the treasurer, always kept under his berthpillow at night, had slipped through the ear into the forward one, where the ticket-wagon was located, and had robbed- it. - •After the evening performance at Frankfort..where the circus had exhibited and then ‘•jumped’' to Berlin immediately. . tlie tipket wagon. . securely locked, with, the funds in the safe inhad been run into the express car. jifst forward of the -sleeper, in which Cpssidy had his berth. It was by .no an uncommon thing for this to be done, in a town where an all-night “jump" was to be made to another town, since the money in the ticket-wagon, secure in itself, could be carried along with perfect safety. No one had over dreamed of such a thing as a robbery, even in the wild West of America. An examination showed that the ticket’ wagon door had been unlocked, and Cassidy’s key was missing. The conclusion was obvious. As the safe combination was not understood, it had been blown open, and the money abstracted. It was not fully understood how this could be done with persons right on the scene, but then the noise of the train would deaden the explosion. The man who was supposed to keep an eye on the ticket-wagon declared he bad seen no one. There might have been some trainmen passing through the car with •.interns, but he could not say positively. It was believed he had been alsccp through the whole proceeding. What made it look blacker than ever for Abarbanell was that not only was his berth located in the same sleeper as that of the treasurer, but his apparatus was stored in he end of the ear which held the ticket-wagon. - It was learned that Abarbanell had seemed greatly displeased at.-the prospect of touring Germany, instead of playing a return engagement in London and the British provinces. More than one performer had heard him speak in unmeasured terms about the Germans. This was considered somewhat strange, as he himself possessed a strong German accent, and was decidedly Teutonic in appearance. The system of espionage in Germany is almost as strict as that of Russia, but German agents could not trace the missing man; could not.find a clue which would give them even an inkling of where Abarbanell had disappeared. * After, or just la-fore. the circus-train Ijad pulled out from Frankfort, he had disappeared as completely as if the,earth hail swallowed him. Frankfort itself was secured ..tfcorqqghly foe him, as every intermediate point,, la-twcen that place and 'Berlin.'' ' No person answering Abailainell's description had passed the French frontier. Of this the official 9 of both

countries were positive- While the detectives of the show were on their mettle. as the case concerned themselves vitally, the German police seemed equal ly as anxious to land their man.

All that'was known of Abarbanell was that he had been with the show two seasons, as the captain of the cuirassiers: that he laid suggested to i'.a Shelle the idea of the “human arrow”; that he had perfected the apparatus, and made the act a reality. The cuirassirs’ act had been abandoned after Faris, as it was believed that anything distinctly French would not be popular in Germany. La Shelle had ordered the “arrow” feature for Berlin instead. Abarbanell was stated to be a native of Alsace-Lorraine, but a naturalised American. The amount of the theft was estimated variously from sixty to eighty thousand marks. Opinion seemed to be divided as to the gilt or innocence of the performer. Such expressions were heard as: “Well. 1 wouldn’t have given him credit for it;” “Always thought there was something underhand about him. Henever v. as free and easy enough!” “If he was a crook, his face didn’t show it.” Miss Oakley tossed her head and was heard to say. apparently for the especial benefit of Dollic Del Monte: “He and I could have been pretty good friends if 1 hadn’t been a mind-reader. I guess.” The Del Monte’s eyes blazed promptly. She snapped at the opportunity as a trout takes a fly. “What mind-reading you did told you he had too much sense to have anything lo do with a girl who would have been willjjng to give her head to get him," she returned; and Miss Oakley was shocked into remarking: “Well, of all the spitfires!” Thereafter the existence of each was apparently unknown to the other. It was after the finish of the matinee performance that a moustached official, with a nickel-pointed helmet, asked for the manager. In bis hand he held a flamboyant lithograph, depicting the human arrow in its flight from the huge crossbow toward the target, with the tens of. thousands, of open-moutheJ spectators, in the arena below. > Also he' held a copy of the programme, which had been printed before Abarbanell's absence had been dreamed of. with .tl.ie announcement of the act in German, in large, black type. The official was referred to La Shelle. The Old Alan invariably stood in the rdped-in enclosure between the tiekettakers in front of the main entrance to the circus before and directly after the performance, to watch the public enter and depart. He was standing there still. The following conversation was carried on through an interpreter, the official commencing: “Nou have failed to comply with the provisions of the municipality of Berlin by not presenting all of the advertised features of the performance, advance notices of which I have here in my hand. The ‘Human Arrow Flight' was not witnessed.” ‘•For reasons over which wo have no control the performer is missing.'* The inspector made a gesture of irritation. “But the performance was not given as advertised,” he said stolidly. Plainly no argument was to be admitted. “What is the penalty?” asked La Shelle. The official named the amount, not a small one. and added that the same . number of marks would be forfeited for every performance at which the feature was omitted. While a majority of the papers next day praised the circus nearly all of them commented on the omission of the great fiature. Ono of them referred to it in this fashion: This is a bit of Yankee shrewdness, the management well affording to-pay the fine imposed for the advertising of an impossible act, by the increased attendance. Such a matter may be glossed over in America, but things are done differently here. La Shelle swore when the notices were translated to him. Mrs La Shelle not lieing present. “I .would be willing to give the amount stolen, if we had a chance to show them we advertise no fakes,” he declared hotly, his patriotism aroused. “1 believe there is more in the absence of AbarliancU t ban iappeiirs on the suy.face. Maylm,jty’ll get at-thc bottom of this’licfore long.”’’ Three days passed with no. trace, pf 'Abarlianell, and it had heroine a standing Joke among the circus people that

the “human arrow" had taken such a long "flight” this time that he would not return.

Dollie Del Monte seemed to go almut her business with her accustomed dash and vigour, but the truth of the matter was that the girl was greatly worried, though she had infinite faith in her lover still.

She was a little thing, not more than five feet in height, with flaxen hair, rosy cheeks, and big blue eyes of a child. Her popularity with Uie circus people was immense. Her name, by the way, was not Del Monte, but as good a German one as any burgher of Berlin could boast. She was not more than twentyfive years of age, but as free and independent as any girl bred and brought up in the United States. Now Dollie Del Monte was well aware that she was being watched constantly by both the show detectives and the German sleuths employed on the ease.. At first she had been highly indignant when her own acute sense ot observation told her this was the fact. Then she had been amused, concluding that it was only natural under the circumstances. Furthermore, she resolved to “keep them guessing." as she put it to herself.

It was this idea, coupled with the intention of seeing as inueh as was possible of the capital of the country from which her parents had emigrated, that led her to make morning trips about Berlin. After a ride about the streets, in somewhat desultory fashion, on this particular morning she alighted at the beautiful avenue of limes, Enter den Linden, which is one of the show places of Berlin, and strolled down toward the Bradenburg Gate. Suddenly she became aware that sbe was being followed by a stalwart young officer in a handsome white and silver uniform. If she had been sufficiently versed in knowledge of his imperial majesty’s officers' uniforms, she would have recognised that this soldier was a member of a Uhlan Light Cavalry Regiment. On prevous occasions she had realised that she was being “shadowed" by a man in plain clothes, but it was the first time any one in uniform had followed her. Her impression was that it was a ease of flirtation. She even stopped, and. without appearing to do so, “sized up” the officer, who was. close behind, and permitted him to pass in front of her. Dollie noticed that he was young, and appeared visibly embarrassed, which made her laugh softly, to think how she would squelch him should he address her. After he had passed she continued on her way. .she had taken but a few steps when the officer turned quickly, coming up to her. As he reached her, walking slower, but not stopping, he said: “Fraulein. I must speak to you.” When the girl seemed about to administer her carefully prepared rebuke, the young man wheeled abruptly, and. standing by her side, muttered in her ear in German. "I am no intruder, believe me. but the matter which leads me to address you concerns us both.” Then he spoke two or three words in a lower tone. ~~ Dollie gave a violent start, and put a question which the officer answered in the affirmative, continuing: “To avert suspicion, let us walk on together as if we had not met by chance. It is the single opportunity f have had to communicate to you what I have to tell.” Together they approached the great gate; the officer speaking earnestly, the girl giving vent to a scries of exclamations. Somewhat stiffly the young man pulled out his watch, glanced at it. saying that he must go. and left her with a formal bow. as if a distinctly unpleas ant duty had been performed. At,his departure the little circus performer's one idea seemed to lie that of getting somewhere as soon as possible. She hailed a passing cab, and gave the driver an address in such a low tone that it had to be repeated- before it was comprehended. ■ During the ride the girl seemed to be constantly on the alert for a possible “shadower” but apparently she was not followed on this occasion. Her blue jeyes were shining, her . cheeks were rosier than ever from excitement, and she even started to hum a tune. For she had received a message from her missing lover, and was soon to see him.

It was an hour later that a closed eab w»e whirling oyer the Spree towar-l the circus-grounds. Inside were two young people—a man and a woman. The man was attired in Arab costume, and had all the appearance of being a real son of the desert, but he was conversing with the woman in English and German alternately.’ * \ It was early,'and few of the performers had arrived from their hotels and boarding-houses for the afternoon performance. The mess-tent was filled with the attaches of the show as the cab went past it, but the dressing tent was deserted except, for the watchman, who only nodded as Dollie Del Monte passed inside, with one of the Arab troupe. “Find Mr La Shelle for me, as quickly as you can/’ she told the watchman excitedly;, and added, after a moment’s reflection: "You had better tell him this ” whispering three words in his The watchman seemed surprised, and as if about to speak, but she shut him off with: Don’t lelay, Callahan. You know it’s important, as well as 1 l<>. Now hurry!’’ La Shelle never was far away from the big white tents. In a short time he poked his head in the tent. Wiia? he saw was Miss Del Monte, one arm around the Arab, facing him triur.iphantly but a little tearfully. “What’s the meaning of this impromptu love scene, Miss Del Monte—does it mean that you have transferred your affections from a missing men to one on the spot!” the proprietor asked, with a show of severity. “It's the same one.” the girl raid, somewhat saucily. “I guess he can speak for himself, though.” “I don’t blame you for not recognising me. Mr La Shelle.” said the mam rising ami standing, before him. The proprietor started. “What’s the meaning of this masquerading, Abarbanell?” he asked sternly. “Have you lost your senses?” “When I tell yon that'l am entirely innossnt of any crime, and that I deemed it necessary to hide my identity in Berlin in justice to myself. I trust that you will forgive me for any disappointment and discomfort 1 may have caused ’you,” he said. “As for the ticket waggon robbery. I swear I'm entirely innocent of that.” “Well, I’m listening for your explanation. Abarbanell,” La Shelle said. "That'was not the name I bore when last I was here, sir. At that time it was Lieutenant Otto Hoffer,, of his Majesty’s crack Uhlan regiment, stationed in Berlin. The fact that £ was -an

Alsatian, though as loyal to my emperor as any Prussian, caused me to bo suspected of disposing of army secrets. My colonel, whom 1 always believed to he the guilty one. eame Io me, urging me. for the sake of my regiment, to flee and avoid public scandal, which would follow my arrest soon to !>•* made.

“Under his powerful urging’ I obeyed, becoming the seapegoat for a crime in which I was in no wise concerned, a step which 1 regretted too late, and fled to the United States. 1 knew tint it would not do for me to be seen in Berlin, for I would be arrested as a deserter. and charged villi the other crime.”

“Then why didn’t you remain in Fiance?” asked La Shelle, sharply. “I couldn’t bear to think of being separated from the girl I ; m Io marry, Mr La Shelle. The idea of disguising myself as one of Ali Ben Hassan’s Aralis—he and I are . goo 1 fellow masons— suggested itself to me. I knew that one of his men had injured himself, was unable to work, but was supposed to he aecomp.t.iyi ig the e’rreiis until he was sufficiently re revered to play his part again. Mulambark I persuaded to stay in Frankfort, and I was he from then on.

"You see how simple it. was. | was Aluh’imbark, the injured Arab. _at . the Arabs’- stopping-place in Berlin. It would have been all right if this’robbery had not occurred. That upset everything. 1 managed to get in touch with Dollie through a brother officer vvho knew of my secret, and my presence in Berlin’-:—”

((.“And I told him best thing’ iirdo to see you, cleat himself, and make ft pasier to catch the real eriminajs,” P’O'C girl quickly. PTron, were forestalled in that/,’ «ard La Shelle smilingly, aiid faking a tele-W’“M-_f r l’!! , .-his pocket. .yinjsmi ..has just wired me from Dresden that

they’ve, captured the gang there, booty and all. That’s where they left the train after their looting of the ticketwaggon. They were a sleek lot of American circus followers, but they didn’t get very far.” Hoffer and Miss Del Monte exchanged glances. He was the first to speak. “Well, I’m dear of that charge,” he said slowly. “What would you ailvi'--* me to do about the other, Mr La Shelle! I swear I’m as innocent of that charge as I was of the other.” “That being the ease, go to the proper authorities and make a dean Breast of everything,” was the prompt answer. “If you’re innocent you have nothing to fear. Don’t overlook that fact.” Divested of his Arab costume Mil make-up, Abarbanell appeared as a slim, well-knit young man, with dark hair and black eyes, which added materially to his impersonation of the Arab role. His face had been shorn of his moustache. In appearance he .v.is a typical cavalryman. More surprises were in store. To his astonishment, in visiting the war office, to take his punishment for deserting, not for the crime which had not been committed by him, be learned that a complete exoneration awaited him. Unable to bear the weight of his secret. though unsuspected, the colonel had made full confession of his misdeed. and ended his life. The fact was known to but few. Search had been made for the missing lieutenant, the scapegoat, without avail. He was acquitted of the crime of deserting. This was one of the matters which La Shelle did not care to have kept secret. “Spread yourself on the whole business. robbery ami all. ami let ’em know we advertise no fake features,” was the proprietor’s order to his "promoter of publicity,” the press-agent, licity,” the press-agent. That worthy, recognising the opportunity of a lifetime, took hold of it so well, that even the heavy, generally uninteresting German journals contained long accounts of the strange case of the Alsatian sub-officer of I mans, Lieutenant Otto Hoffer, wrongly rendered an exile, forced to join a circus for livelihood, finally acquitted in an extraordinary manner. It was even suggested that the emperor himself had taken more than passing interest in the affair, and had used the occurrence as a text for a sermon to army officers on “the importance of standing by one’s colours, though O:e mailed hand of the. universe threatens to eniuh you to the earth.” This was merely - hinted at. however, for the question of’“)csc-majeste” is a most open one in Berlin. “1 believe I’d rather have you in the role of the ’Human Arrow’ than that of a semi-human Arab,” said La Shelle to Abarbanell, with a chuckle, the day after his reappearance. “We’ll give you a good send-off to-night,” referring, of course, to the ’flight.’’ From the newspaper accounts it was known that the much-advertised feature of the circus, which had been inadvertently omitted and to which great curiosity was attached, would be seen that evening at the regular performance. . Long la-fore the hour for the admission time the ticket-wagon was besieged by a crowd, tin- I ke of which even Cassidy. the treasurer, who was -used to crowds, had never seen before. Civilians and soldiers were there in throngs, but after awhile the ticketsellers ceased to notice the faces, observing merely the hands, hands, hands, holding the German coins and notes, for which tickets were to be given. Inside the big arena-tent, which was filled with a larger crowd than th* oldest employee of the show ever iemr.mbered having seen before, the vanovs nets went off with dash and vigour, to the accompaniment of almost uninterrupted applau.se. It was all the more noticeable, fo- a German audience lives up io its reputation for stolidity, though Germans occasionally can become as enthisiistie over a spectacle as Jieir French neighbours. Even Darrah’s usually unsmiling face wore a grin of delight as he stood by his stand, surveying the vast rows of faces, beaming with appreciation. He knew that there would be no hitch this time, for he had seen Abarbanell getting ready a few minutes before. With each succeeding act the enthii-

■lasm teemed to increase. When all Was ready for the star feature’ for which the Berliners had waited so hungrily, and about which such a story Imd arisen, and the announcer had come out to give its introduction, the spectators yelled so lustily that he had to commence all over again no less than three times.

At that, the announcement was curtailed. and the baud struck np, as the big arbalest was wheeled into position in the centre of the arena from its recess at one side.

The arbalest was a gigantic crossbow, with massive .steel arms on either side of the stock, a solid block of wood, twelve feet in length, with a groove down the centre large enough to hold the body of the man-arrow.

Breathlessly the audience watched the moving of the crossbow on trunnions like a cannon to its proper place, within the fractional part of an inch; the stringing of the long, narrow net, over which the ‘■Hight’’ was to take place; the hanging of the target. The target was a framed ten-foot Square of white paper, in the centre of which was a bull's-eye as large as a bar-rel-head. It hung high up in the tent. Distances in .such a place, owing to the uncertain light, are deceptive, but the target seemed a long way from the crossbow. On the arbalest, at one side, was a crank, which me attendants took hold of, winding it as a windlass. By degrees the glittering steel arms on either side began to form crescents, bending back, as the steel cable, serving as bowstrings, slipped gradually over the groove-block to the trigger-catch. ith a deep thrumming sound the cable slipped over the catch. It was ready to be released and launch its arrow into the ail’. Beneath the target, and stretching beyond it, the narrow net broadened out. covering a space the size of a large room.

How they cheered the performer as he approached briskly from the dress-ing-room. attired in his steel-mesh suit! Bowing and smiling on every side, he stood before them, while the attendant slipped over his head the confining tri-angular-shaped material, to transform him into an arrow.

He stepped into the foot-piece, which the bowstring would press, slipped the queer helmet “shaft” on his head, and was readv.

Quickly a sling was lowered, lie w;fs hoisted bodily up, dropped easily into the arrow groove, sliding down if feet foremost, until the foot-piece rested snugly against the cable, waiting to be released. He was a man no longer—an arrow in reality.

For a full minute all was silent. The Strain on spectators was intense. The muscles of La Shelle’s iron mouth were slightly twitching. ■Suddenly from the cased figure came a muffled word: “Loose!”

Like a flash Ihe attendant had sprung a lever. The powerful steel arcs, released of their tension, straightened the cable-siring with a deep, musical twang, the missile shot from the machine with incredible swiftness. In an instant the manjnissile was in the air. hurtling with prodigious speed, up, up. at an angle, quicker than the eye would watch. With marvellous accuracy the “arrow” pierced the target's very centre, as a

long drawn outburst of admiration came from the audience.

Next, the result accomplished, the “arrow” dropped as suddenly into the broad net waiting to receive it. At first the spectators, lacking breath, had been strangely silent, even until the net itself, with the apparently inanimate object in it, had been lowered to the sawdust of the arena.

When the first sign of applause at the wonderful feat burst forth, the performer himself stood before them, free of his “arrow” casings and accoutrements, bowing and smiling, a thing of life and vigour. They cheered him for fully five minutes or more, the “Hochs” following him until lie had run to the dressingroom, disappearing from their sight. It was -.loch, hoeli, hoch!” throughout, but it was “Hoch der lieutenant!” and “Hoch Hoffer!” No one heard the name of Aharbanell mentioned, thus clearly proving that the acclaim was all for the man whose history was spread broadcast through Berlin, instead of for an otherwise unknown performer. Darrah’s face was a picture of contentment as he strolled back into the dressing-room, where he patted Abarbanell on the back.

“Better late than never,” he said. “It certainly is the biggest legitimate advertisement we ever had.” La Shelle was more than satisfied. Not only had the good name of rhe American circus been upheld, but the most recent report concerning the robbery had been entirely reassuring.

The members of tne gang had confessed. and nearly an the plunder was recovered. They were not all experts, the detectives knew, for had they all been, the one acting as a sleeping-car porter for a “stall,” with a couple of "green” canvasmen, would not have left the show so quickly to rejoin their confederates in Dresden, thereby giving away the whole game. It was well conceived, but poorly executed. Beginning badly, the Berlin engagement was a gold-mine of success for the circus. The “human arrow” sped straight into the heart of the public.