illa, while his mild and benevolent expression
in repose"--(mild and benevolent expression artfully simulated by the
Missing Link)--"gives his countenance a certain manly beauty and dignity.
Looking at him thus, ladies, no one will deny that he stands for the
missing link in the chain leading from the small ape up through the
gorilla to the noblest work of God." The Professor finished chin up,
heels together, eyes lifted, and the left hand thrust in the vest, a la
Napoleon--to signify the highest effort of a benign Providence.

Here Ammonia created a diversion by squealing angrily, spitting at the
Missing Link, and clawing for him in a paroxysm of professional envy.

"I think, ladies," continued Professor Thunder in his best manner, "that
even those who discard the Darwinian hypothesis because of their
objection to acknowledging relationship with the monkeys should have no
reluctance to admit some distant connection with this noble and
intelligent being, so like man in bearing and intellect, and yet so
closely allied to the gorilla that we cannot deny--Blazes and fury!"

The Professor's indecorous ejaculation was in spired by the mean,
vicious, and unsportsmanlike conduct of Ammonia the gorilla, who had
succeeded in gripping Mahdi by one leg, and was hanging on, squealing
frightfully.

"Pull him off! Pull him off!" yelled the Missing Link, forgetting
everything in the moment of pain and, peril.

Instantly the whole show was thrown into commotion. Miss Arnott screamed,
her pupils screamed, the monkeys all rattled at their cages and jabbered
excitedly; the Professor, the Living Skeleton, and Madame Marve added to
the uproar.

Ammonia, having his hated rival in his power at last, was determined to
glut his hate. He secured a grip with the other iron talon, dragged
Nickie down, and pulling him close to the bars, and pushing his short
nose between the rods, bit at him with gleaming teeth, and all the time
he clawed furiously, his nails tearing through the hide of the Missing
Link, and lacerating the man beneath pitilessly.

Nickie fought and yelled and swore, in good strong Australian. Miss
Arnott's pupils, huddled together, staring with round, horrified eyes,
and as they stared a truly horrible thing happened. The skin was torn
clean from the upper part of the Missing Link, and the bare,
blood-stained head and shoulders of a man emerged.

That was too much for a well-conducted ladies seminary. With a final
ear-pier