things for you. I can't
help it. It was that which made me Philip Ayre."

"Be Philippa--or Philip Ayre. Only--stay with baby and with me."

She was silent for some moments as she lay and looked at him with a
singular intensity of gaze.

"I think, Geoffrey, I shall live."

[Illustration: "'BE PHILIPPA--OR PHILIP AYRE. ONLY--STAY WITH BABY AND
WITH ME.'"]

THE MOST CRUEL SPORT IN THE WORLD.

THE HORRORS OF THE BULL-FIGHT.

_By Sidney Gowing._

[Illustration]

Do not believe it when you are told that bull-fighting is near its end.
The great sport is as popular and deeply rooted in Spain as cricket is
in Britain, and will last as long. To attempt to stop bull-fighting by
law would cause a bigger revolution among the Spaniards than the most
fearful disasters at home or abroad.

The great home of bull-fighting is Seville, and when the Seville fights
are in their glory even Madrid takes second place. The Seville bull-ring
is a little larger than that of Madrid, though it is not quite so
gorgeously designed. Still, it holds over 14,000 people.

Nearly every Sunday throughout the year there is a bull-fight of sorts
to be seen.

About 300,000 people go to the bull-fight every week in Spain, on an
average. One must also count in an infinite number of little amateur
fights in outlying villages of the provinces.

[Illustration: THE PROCESSION SALUTING THE PRESIDENT.]

[Illustration: THE GORGEOUSLY DRESSED MATADORS ENTERING THE ARENA.]

But at a _pukka_ bull-fight in Seville, six of the finest bulls and at
least forty horses are provided, to say nothing of the _cortege_ of
gold-clad operators drawing terrific salaries. Fashion and the masses
turn out together to hoot and whistle and shout, and nothing on earth
short of Armageddon could stop a fight half-way.

[Illustration: THE CRUELLEST PART OF THE PERFORMANCE.]

Half-past two in the afternoon is the usual time for commencement. Seats
in the sun cost between eighteenpence and two shillings, and in the
shade anything from three shillings to five pounds. The bulk of the
seats are merely stone steps, like the face of a pyramid, and above them
a double row of chairs fenced in by a balcony. It is only these last
that are covered from the sky. Half the ring is protected by its own
height from the heat of the sun, and the other half is open to its
glare.

When the amphitheatre is full of sun-hatted Spaniards, with a sprinkling
of girls wearing white mantilla