The Last of the Plainsmen 



When animals must obey, they must that s all, and 

 no mawkishness! But I never trusted a buffalo in 

 my life. If I had I wouldn t be here to-night. You 

 all know how many keepers of tame wild animals get 

 killed. I could tell you dozens of tragedies. And 

 I ve often thought, since I got back from New York, 

 of that woman I saw with her troop of African lions. 

 I dream about those lions, and see them leaping over 

 her head. Whai a grand sight that was ! But the 

 public is fooled. 1 read somewhere that she trained 

 those lions by love. I don t believe it. I saw her use 

 a whip and a steel spear. Moreover, I saw many 

 things that escaped most observers how she entered 

 the cage, how she maneuvered among them, how she 

 kept a compelling gaze on them! It was an admi 

 rable, a great piece of work. Maybe she loves those 

 huge yellow brutes, but her life was in danger every 

 moment while she was in that cage, and she knew 

 it. Some day, one of her pets likely the King of 

 Beasts she pets the most will rise up and kill her. 

 That is as certain as death.&quot; 



108 



