The Eagle's Claws by Ellis Parker Butler. As Filo Gubb boarded the train for
Riverbank. After recovering the silver loving Cup from the interior of the petrified man,
he cast a regretful glance backward. It was for Cyrilla. There was
half a ton of her pink, white beauty, and her placid cow like
expression touched an echoing cord in Philo Gubb's heart. Philo felt, however,
that his admiration must be hopeless, for Syrilla must earn a salary in keeping
with her size, and his income was too irregular and small to keep even
a thin wife. Five hundred dollars was a large reward for a loving cup
that cost not over thirty dollars. It is true, but mister Jonas Meadowbrook
had afford to pay what he chose, and as he was passionately fond of
golf and passionately poor at the game, and as this was probably the only
golf prize he would ever win, he was justified in paying liberally, especially
as this cup was not merely a tankard, but almost large enough to be
called a tank. Detective Gub hastened to the home of mister Meadowbrook. But
when the door of that palatial house opened, the colored butler told mister Gubb
that mister Meadowbrook was at the golf club, attending the annual banquet of the
fifty worst Duffers. Mister Gubb started for the golf club. As he walked,
he thought of Sorilla, and he was at the gate of the golf
club before he knew it. He walked up the path toward the clubhouse,
but when halfway he stopped short. All his detective instincts aroused. The windows
of the clubhouse glowed with light, and sounds of merriment issued from them.
But the cause of Philo Gub's sudden pause was ahead, silhouetted against one of
the glowing windows. As mister Gubb watched, he saw the head disappear in
the gloom below the window. Only two reappear at another window. Mister Gubb,
following the directions as laid down in less than four of the correspondences,
Lessons, dropped to his hands and knees and crept silently toward the Paul Prye.
When within a few feet of him, mister Gubb seated himself tailor fashion
on the grass. As Filo sat on the damp grass, the man at
the window turned his head, and mister Gubb noted with surprise that the stranger
had none of the marks of a sodden criminal. The face was that of
a respectably benevolent old German American gentleman. Kindliness and good nature beamed from its
lines, but at the moment the plump little man seemed in trouble. Good
evening, said mister Gubb. I presume you are taking an observation of the
dinner party within the inside of the club. The old gentleman turned sharply.
Jess, he said, I look at their people's eating and drinking, as
I like to see that unsouch good at e thes dot Man mit Der Blackbeard,
he vas es splendid e There mister Gubb raised himself to his knees and
looked into the dining room. That he said, is the honorable mister Jonas
Meadowbrook, the wealthiest rich man in Riverbank Metterbrook Mehta Krook, said the old
German American not Chons ah not Jones to my present personal knowledge at this time,
said Philo Gubb. Not Chons repeated the plumply benevolent looking German American dot
vas strange, you vas sure I vas not Johns. I'm quite almost positive
upon that point of knowledge, said Philo Gubb. For I have under my
arm a golf cup. I am returning back to mister meadowbrook to receive five
hundred dollars reward from him. For so queried the stranger fife hundr dollars.
Wouldn't it is his cup? It is, said Filo Gubb. He raised
the cup in his hand that the stranger might read the inscription, stating that
the cup was Jonas Meadowbrooks. The light of the window made the engraving easy
to read, but the old German American first drew from his pocket a pair
of gold rimmed spectacles and adjusted them carefully on his nose. He then took
the cup and moved closer to the window and read the inscription. Jez jesz,
he agreed, nodding his head several times, and then he smiled at
mister Gubb, a broadly benevolent smile. Excuse me, he added, and
with gentle deliberation, he removed mister Gubb's hat. Just a minute, please,
he continued, and with his free hand, he felt gently on the
top of mister Gubb's head. He turned mister Gubb's head gently to the right,
so he exclaimed, dat vaskuld. He raised the cup above his head
and brought it down on top of mister Gubb's head in the exact spot he
had selected. For two moments, mister Gubb made motions with his hands resembling
those of a swimmer, and then he collapsed in a heap. The kindly
looking old German American gentleman, seeing he was quite unconscious, tucked the golf
cup under his own arm and waddled slowly down the path to the club gates.
Ten minutes later, a small automobile drove up and young doctor Anson Briggs
hopped out. Mister Gubb was just getting to his feet, feeling the top
of his head with his hand as he did so. Here said doctor Briggs.
You must not do that. Why can't I do it? Mister Gubb
asked Crossley. It is my own personal head, and if I wish to
desire to rub it, you are not concerned in the occasion. Whatever,
Oh rub your head if you want to, exclaimed the doctor. I say
you must not stand up a man that has just had a fit must not
stand up. Who had a fit, asked Filo Gub. You did,
said doctor Briggs. I am told you had a very bad fit and fell
and knocked your head against the building. You're dazed, lie down. I
prefer to wish to stand erect on my feet, said mister Gubb firmly.
Where's my cup? What cub who told you I was suffering from the symptoms
of a fit, demanded Philo Gubb. Why a short, plump little german
did, said the doctor. He sent me here and he gave me this
to give to you. The doctor held an envelope toward mister Gubb, and
the detective took it and tore it open. By the light of the window,
he read received of J. Jones golf cup worth five hundred dollars p
H. Schrekenheim. Filo Gubb turned to doctor Briggs. I am much obliged
for the hastiness with which you came to relieve one you considered to think in
trouble, Doctor, he said, but fits are not in my line of
sickness, which mainly is dyspeptic to date. Now, what is all this,
asked the doctor. Suspicion. What is that letter anyway? It is
a clue, said Filo Gubb, which connected with the bump on the top
of the cranium of my skull, will no doubt land somebody into jail.
So good evening, doctor. He picked his hat from the lawn and in
his most stately manner, walked around the clubhouse and in at the door.
Inside the clubhouse, mister Gubb asked one of the waiters to call mister Meadowbrook,
and mister Meadobrook immediately appeared. As he came from the dining room rapidly,
the napkin he had tucked in his neck fell over his shoulder behind him,
and mister Meadowbrook, instead of turning around, bent backwards until he could
pick up the napkin with his teeth, after which he resumed his normal upright
position. Excuse me, Gub, he said, I didn't think what I
was doing. Where's the cup, the detective explained. He handed mister Meaderbrook
the receipt that had been sent by mister Schrekenheim, and the moment mister Meaderbrook's
eyes fell upon it, he turned red. That infernal dutchman. He cried,
although mister Schrekenheim was not a Dutchman at all, but a German American.
I'll jail him for this. He stopped short, Gubb. He said,
did that fellow tell you what his business was? He did not,
said Filo Gubb. He failed to express any mention of it. That man,
said mister Meadowbrook bitterly. Is Schrekenheim the greatest tattoo artist in the world.
He is the king of them all, a connoisseur in tattooish art Cantella
Schrekenheim as easily as a picture dealer Cantella corot. But no matter, mister
Gubb. You are a detective, and I believe what is told detectives is
held inviolable. Yes, you and all Riverbanks see me an ordinary citizen.
Wealthy perhaps, but ordinary. As a matter of fact. I was once,
he looked cautiously around. I was once a contortionist. I was once
the contortionist, and now I am a wealthy man. My wife left me
because she said I was stingy, and she took my child, my only
daughter. I have never seen either of them since. I have searched high
and low, but I cannot find them. Mister Gubb, I would give
the man that finds my daughter, if she is alive, a thousand dollars.
You don't object to my attempting to try, said Filo Gubb. No,
said mister Jonas Meadobrook. But that is not what I wished to explain
in my contortion act. Mister Gubb, I was obliged to wear the most
expensive silk tights. Wiggling on the floor destroys them rapidly. I had a
happy thought. I was known as the man serpent. Could I not save
all expenses of tights by having myself tattooed so that my skin would represent scales?
Look, mister Meadowbrook pulled up his cuff and showed mister Gubb his arm.
It was beautifully tattooed in red and blue, like the scales of a
cobra. The cost continued, mister Meadowbrook was great. Herr Schreckenheim worked continuously
on me, and when he reached my manly chest, I had a brilliant
thought I would have tattooed upon it an American eagle. Imagine the enthusiasm of
an audience when I stood straight, spread my arms and showed that noble emblem
of our nation's strength and freedom. I told Herr Schreckenheim, and he set
to work. When and the contract price, by the way, for doing
that eagle was five hundred dollars. When the eagle was about completed, I
said to Herr Schreckenheim, of course you will do no more eagles. More
eagles, he said, questioningly on other men. I said, I want
to be the only man with an eagle on my chest. I am doing
an eagle on another man now, he said. I was angry at once.
I jumped from the table and threw on my clothes cheater. I cried,
not another spot or dot shall you make on me? Go? I
will never pay you a cent. He was very angry. It is a
contract, he cried, five hundred dollars you owe me. I owe it
to you when the job is complete. I declared that was the contract.
Is this job complete? Where are the eagle's claws? I'll never pay you
a cent. We had a lot of angry words. He demanded that I
give him a chance to put the claws on the eagle. I refused.
I said I would never pay. He said he would follow me to the
end of the world and collect He said he would do those eagle claws if
he had to do them on my infant daughter. I dared him to touch
the child. And now, said mister Meadowbrook, he has taken the golf
cup I value at five hundred dollars. He has won. At the mention
of the threat regarding the child, Filo Gubb's eyes opened wide, but he
kept silent. Gubb said mister Meadobrook. Suddenly, I'll give you one thousand
dollars if you can recover my poor child. The detecative profession is full of
complicity of detail, said mister Gubb. And the impossible is quite possible when
put in the right hands. The cub bother the cup, said mister Meadowbrook
carelessly. I want my child. I'll give ten thousand dollars for my child.
Gub with difficulty, could Filo Gub restrain his eagerness to depart. He
had a clue. Ordinarily, mister Gubb would have taken any disguise that seemed
to him best suited for the work in hand. But now he was going
to see and be seen by Sorilla. Mister Gub ran down the list number
seven card sharp number nine Minister of the Gospel number twelve, Butcher number sixteen,
Negro hack driver number seventeen, Chinese laundryman number twenty. Cowboy Filo Gub
paused he would be a cowboy, for it was a jaunty disguise. Chaps,
sombrero, spurs, buckskin gloves, holsters and pistols, blue shirt,
yellow hair, stubby mustache. He donned the complete disguise, put his street
garments in a suit case, and viewed himself in his small mirror. He
highly approved of the disguise. He touched his cheeks with red to give himself
a healthy outdoor appearance. Early the next morning, before the earliest merchants had
opened their shops, Filo Gubb boarded the train for West Higgins, for it
was there the world's greatest combined shows were to appear. The few sleepy passengers
did not open their eyes. The conductor, as he took mister Gubb's ticket,
merely remarked joining the show at West Higgins and passed on. Boys were
already gathering on the West Higgins station platform when the train pulled in, and
they cheered mister Gubb, thinking him part of the show. This greatly increased
the difficulty of mister Gubb's detective work. He had hoped to steal unobserved,
to the circus grounds, but a dozen small boys immediately attached themselves to him,
running before him and whooping with joy. Boys said mister Gubb sternly,
I wish you to run away and play elsewhere than in front of me,
continuously all the time, and they cheered because he had spoken. Only the
glad news that the circus trains had reached town finally dragged them reluctantly away.
Detective Gub hurried to the circus grounds. The cook tent was already up and
the grub tent was being put up presently, the side show tent was up
and the big top rising. It was not until nine o'clock, however,
that the side show ladies and gentlemen began to appear. And when they arrived,
they went at once to the grub tent and seated themselves at the table.
From a corner of the big top's side wall, Detective Gub watched them.
Look there, deary, said Marilla suddenly to Princess Zozo. Don't that
cowboy look like mister Gubb that was at Bardville and got the golf cup.
It don't look like him, said Princess Zozo. It is him. Why
don't you ask him to come over and help at the eats? You seem
to like him yesterday. I thought he was a real gentlemanly gentleman, dearie,
if that's what you mean, said Sorilla, and raising her voice,
she called to mister Gobb. For a moment, he hesitated, and then
he came forward. We knowed you the minute we seen you. Mister Gubb,
Come and sit in beside me and have some breakfast. If you ain't
dined, I thought you went home last night. You ain't after no more
criminals, are you. There are variously many ends to the detecative business,
said mister Gubb, as he seated himself beside Sorilla. I'm upon a most
important case at the present time. Sorilla reached for her fifth boiled potato,
and as her her arm past mister Gubb's face, he thrilled he had not
been mistaken. Upon that arm was a pair of eagle's claws tattooed in red
and blue. How little these had meant to him before, and how much
they meant now? I presume you don't hardly ever long for a home in
one place, miss Sorilla. He began, with his eye fixed on her
arm, just above the elbow. Well believe me, dearie, said Sorilla.
You don't want to think that just because I travel with a side show,
I don't long for the refinements of a true home just like other folks.
Some folks think I'm easy to see through and that I ain't nothin but
fat and appetite. But they've got me down wrong, mister Gubb. I
was unfortunate in getting lost from my father and mother when a babe. But
many as the time I've said to Zozo, I've got a refined strain in
my nature, haven't i? Zozo? You say it every time we begin
to rag you about falling in love with every new thin man you see,
said Princess Zozo. You said it last night when we was joshing you about
mister Gubb. Here, Sorilla colored, but mister Gubb thrilled joyously just the
same, Deary Sorilla said to Princess Zozo, I've got myself listed right when
I say I got a refined nature, I've got all the instincts of a
real society lady, and sometimes it irks me awful not to be able to
let myself loose and bant like pant, asked mister Gubb. Bant was the
word I used, mister Gubb, Sorilla replied, maybe you wouldn't guess it
looking at me shovelin' in the etibles this way. But eating food is the
cruelest thing I have to do. It charged me something terrible, yes,
dearie. What I longed for day and night is a chance to take my
place in the social stratums I was born for and bant off the fat like
other social ladies, is to ride along. I don't eat food because i'd
like it, mister Gubb, but because a lady in a profession like mine
has got to keep fat it up. My outside may be fat, mister
Gubb, but I got a soul inside of me as skinny as any fashionable
lady would care to have. And as soon as possible, I'm going to
quit the road and bant off six or seven hundred pounds. Would you believe
it possible that I ain't dared to eat a pickle for over seven years because
it might start me on the thin word road. I presume to suppose,
said mister Gubb politely, that if you was to be offered a home that
was rich with wealth, and I was to take you there and place you
beside your parental father, would you refuse. Mister Gubb awaited the reply with
eagerness. He tried to remain calm, but in spite of himself, he
was nervous. Watch me, said Marilla, if you could show me a
nook like that, you couldn't hold me in this show business with a tense
steak and a bull. But that's a rosy dream. You ain't got a
locket with the photo of your mother's picture into it, asked mister Gubb.
No, said Marilla. My pa Ma was unknown to me. I dare
say they got sick of hearin me ball and left me on a doorstep.
The first I knew of things was that I was travelin with a show representing
a new born babe in an incubator machine. I was incubated up to the
time I was five years old and got too long to go into the glass
case. But some one was your guardian in charge of you, no doubt,
asked Gub. I had forty of them, deary, said Sorilla.
Whenever money run low, they quit because they couldn't get paid on Saturday night.
Huh, said mister Gubb. And does the name Jones bring back the
memory of any remembrance to you? No, mister Gubb, said Sorilla,
regretfully, seeing how eager he was. It don't in that state of the
case of things, said mister Gubb. I've got to go over to that
wagon pole and sit down and think. Awhile, I've got a certain clue.
I've got to think over and make sure it leads right, and if
it does, I'll have something important to say to you. The wagon pole
in question was attached to a canvas wagon near by, and Detective Gub seated
himself on it and thought the side show ladies and gentlemen, having finished,
entered the side show tent, with the exception of Sorilla, who remained to
finish her meal. She ate a great deal at meals. Before meals and
after meals, Mister Gubb, from his seat on the wagon pole, looked
at Sorilla thoughtfully. He had not the least doubt that Sorilla was the lost
daughter of mister Jones, or Meadowbrook, as he now called himself. The
German American tattoo artist had sworn to complete the eagle by putting its claws on
mister Jones's daughter if need be, And here were the claws on Marilla's arm.
But just as it is desirable at times to have a handwriting expert identify
a bit of writing, mister Gubb felt that if he could prove that the
claws tattooed on Marilla's arm where the work of mister Schrekenheim, his case would
be complete. He longed for mister Schreckenheim's presence, but lacking that, he
had a happy idea. Mister Enderberry, the tattooed man of the side show,
should be a connoisseur and would perhaps be able to identify the eagle's claws.
Leaving Marilla still eating, mister Gubb entered the side show tent. Mister
Enderberry, seated on a blue property case, was engaged in biting the entire
row of finger nails on his right hand, and a frown creased his brow.
He was enwrapped by a long purple bathrobe which tied closely about his neck.
As he caught sight of mister Gubb. He started slightly and doubled his
hand into a fist, but he immediately calmed himself and assumed a nonchalant air.
As a matter of fact, mister Endburry led a dog's life for years.
He had loved Sorilla devotedly, but he was so bashful he had never
dared to confess his love to her. And year after year he saw her
smile upon one thin man after another. Now it was mister Lonardon. Again
it was mister Winterbury, or it was mister Gubb, or Smith, or
Jones or Doe. But for mister Enderberry, she seemed to have nothing but
contempt. Mister Enderberry had first seen her when she was posing in the infant
incubator, and had loved her even then, For he was twenty when she
was but five. The coming of a new rival always affected him, as
the coming of mister Gubb had, But for good reason. He hated mister
Gubb worse than any of the others. Excuse me for begging your pardon,
said mister Gubb. But in the detecative business, questions have to be asked.
Have you ever chanced to happen to notice some tattoo work upon the arm
of Miss Sorilla of the side show, I have, said mister Edinbury.
Shortly a pair of eagle's claws, said mister Gubb. Can you tell me,
from your knowledge and belief if the work they're done was the work of
mister Harrer Schreckenheim. I can tell you if I want to, said mister
Enderburry. What do you want to know for? If those claws are the
work of mister Harrer Schreckenheim, said mister Gubb. I am prepared to offer
to miss Sorilla her daughterly place in a home of wealth at Riverbank, Iowa.
If those claws are Schrekenheim clause, Miss Sorilla is the daughter of mister
Jonas Meadowbrook of the said Bergh. Beyond the question of a particle of doubt.
Mister Enderburry looked at mister Gubb with surprise. That's not he began.
And if Schrekenheim did those claws, You'll take Sorilla away from this show forever,
he asked. Asked, I will, said Filo Gubb. If she
desires to wish to go, then I have nothing whatever to say, said
mister Enderburry. And he shut his mouth firmly, nor would he say more.
Do you desire to wish me to understand that they are not the work
of mister Herr Schreckenheim persisted mister Gubb, I have nothing to say, said
mister Enderberry. I consider that conclusive, circumstantial evidence that they are, said
Detective Gubb, and he clanked out of the side show. Marilla was still
seated at the grub table, finishing her meal, and mister Gubb seated himself
opposite her. As delicately as he could, he told of Jonas Meadowbrook and
his lost daughter, of the home of wealth that awaited that daughter, and
finally, of his belief that Cyrilla was that daughter. It was clear that
Marilla was quite willing to take up a life of refinement and dieting if she
was given an oper tunity such as mister Gubb was able to offer in the
name of Jonas Meadowbrook. And this being so, he questioned her regarding the
eagle's claws, Mister Gubb, she said, I wish to die on the
spot if I know how I got them claws tattooed on me. If you
ask me, I'll say it was the mystery of my life. They've been
on me since I was a little girl, no bigger than why who is
that? Mister Gubb turned his head quickly, but he was not in time
to see a plump, good natured looking little German Americans slip quickly out of
sight behind the cook tent. Neither did he see the glitter of the sun
on a large silver golf cup the plump German American carried under his arm.
But the German American had recognized mister Gubb, even through his disguise of a
cowboy. No matter, said Marilla. But these claws have been on my
arm since I was a wee little girl, mister Gubb. I always thought
they was a trade mark of a hospital. I was not knowingly aware that
hospitals had trade marks, said mister Gubb. Maybe they don't, said Zyrilla.
But when I was a small child, I had an accident and had
to be took to the hospital, and it wasn't until after that that anybody
saw the eagle's claws on me. I considered that maybe it was like the
mark the laundry puts on a handkerchief it has laundered. I don't know much
about the manners of the ways of hospitals, admitted mister Gubb. And that
may be so, but I have another idea. Did you ever hear of
mister Harrer Schrekenheim, Only that mister Enderburry has always cross on the days of
the month that he gets mister Shrekenheim's statements of money too. Mister Shrekenheim is
the man that tattooed mister Enderburry so beautiful, but poor mister Enderberry has never
been able to pay him in full. Filo Gubb arose, I am going
to telegraph mister Meadowbrook to come on to wes Higgins immediately by the three p
m. Afternoon train, he said, and you will meet him as your
perternal father, and arranged to make your home with him as soon as you
desire to wish it. At five o'clock that afternoon, mister Meadobrook, escorted
by mister Gubb, entered the side show tent. The lady and gentlemen freaks
were resting. Before evening, Grubb and all were gathered around Marilla's platform for
the news that she was to leave the show to enter a home of wealth
and refinement had spread quickly. Marilla herself was in tears. Now that the
time had come, she was loath to part from her kind companions. I
tell you, mister Gubb, mister Meadobrook said, as they entered the side
show. If you have indeed found my daughter, you have made me a
happy man. You cannot know how lonesome my life has been. Now which
is she? She is the female lady in the pink satin dress on the
platform, said mister Gubb. Mister Meadobrook looked towards Marilla and gasped, Why
that that's the fat woman. That's the fat woman of a side show,
he exclaimed. I thought, I why my daughter wouldn't be a fat woman
in a side show. But she is, said mister Gubb. Great Scott,
exclaimed mister Meadowbrook. For years, mister Meadobrook had retained a memory of
his daughter as he had seen her last, a tender babe in long clothes
as he rode toward West Higgins. However, he had thought about his daughter,
and he had revised his conception of her. She was older now,
of course, and he had finally settled the matter by deciding that she would
be a dainty slip of a girl, probably a tight rope walker or one
of the toe dancers in the Grand Spectacle, or perhaps even engaged as the
ten thousand dollar beauty. But a fat lady, jes said a voice.
Suddenly, you'll bet i've us here. Well, I fand my money years
I have been collecting dot bill un Still you owe me. Now I come
and you pay me all that you owe me, or I make trouble.
The voice came from outside the tent, and with surprising agility, Detective Gubb
dived under the platform and wriggled under the canvas wall. I don't know you
a cent, exclaimed the voice of mister Enderburry. I've paid you for every
bit of tattoo I have on me. Seven hundred dollars vas der contract,
cried the voice of Herr Schreckenheim. Ound ten dollars is due me? Yet
I wanted? Well, you'll keep on wanting it, said mister Enderberry's voice.
Look here, look at my chest. There's the eagle you did on
me. Do you see any claws on it? No? You don't.
Well, I'm not going to pay for claws that are not on me.
No, sir, claws. I'd do some claws on you, don't I
ven i'd do that eagle, asked the German American. Yes, but they're
not on me now are they asked mister Enderburry. You can go and collect
from the person that has them. What do I care for her? Now?
She's going to quit the circus business. I've paid for all the tattoo
that's on me. You go and collect ten dollars for those claws from Cyrilla.
Und how does she get those claws on her, asked harr Schreckenheim.
Shrewdly, I'll tell you how, said mister Enerbury. You remember when Griggs
and Barton's circus burned down years ago. Well, Sorilla was burned in that
fire, burned on the arm, and they took her to a hospital and
her arm wouldn't heal. So somebody had to furnish some skin for a skin
grafting job. And I did it. The piece they took had those claws
on it. That's what happened. I gave those eagles claws to cure her.
And I've hung around her all these years like a faithful dog, and
she don't care a hang for me. And now she's going away. Go
and collect for those claws from her. I haven't got them. She's going
to be rich. She can pay you. Simultaneously, there was an exclamation
from mister Meadowbrook, a cry from Syrilla, and a short, sharp yell
from outside the tent. Mister Gubb entered, spurs first, creeping backward under
the canvas. As he backed from under the platform, it was observed that
he held a shoe about number eight size in one hand, and that a
foot was in the shoe, and the foot on a leg, and the
leg on a short, plump elderly German American, who yelled as he was
dragged into the tent on his back. In one hand of the German American
was a large silver golf cup with a deep dent on one side. As
mister Gubb arose to his feet, still holding the German American tattoo artist's foot
in his hand, he said, mister Meadowbrook, the detecative business is not
always completely satisfactory in all kinds of respects. And it looks as if it
appeared that the daughter I found for you is somebody else's. But if you
will look at the other end of the assaulter and batterer I have in hand.
You will see that I have recovered the silver golf cup trophy once again
for the second time. And that, said mister Meadowbrook as he took the
cup from the German American's hand, is remarkable work. The ordinary detective is
usually satisfied to recover stolen property once, but you have recovered this cup twice.
The motto of my detecative business, said mister Gubb, modestly is perfection.
No matter how many times mister Gubb might have said more, but he
was interrupted by Princess Zozo, the snake charmer, who had walked around Soyrilla
and unhooked two of the hooks at the top of Sorilla's low necked gown.
Look, she exclaimed, and she pointed to a second pair of eagle's claws
tattooed between Marilla's shoulder blades. Without a word, mister Meadowbrook took five hundred
dollars from his purse and handed them to mister Schrekenheim. That pays you for
the cup, he said, and then turning to Cyril, come to my
arms, my long lost daughter. After Sorilla had hugged her father affectionately,
mister Gubb and the freaks laid him on the ground, and by fanning him
vigorously, were able to bring him back to life. Mister Meadowbrook's first act,
upon opening his eyes was to hold out his hand to mister Gubb.
Thank you, Gub, he panted. It's a big price, but I'll
keep my word. The ten thousand dollars shall be yours. Into ordinary circumstances,
said mister Gubb gravely. Ten thousand dollars would be a largely big price
to pay for recovering back a lost daughter, mister Meadobrook. But into the
present case, it don't amount to more than ten dollars per pound of daughter,
which ain't a largely great rate per pound. And of the eagle's claus
by Ellis Parker Butler