American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-10-05


musicians returned and struck up. she
was not forthcoming. The audience
waited quietly at first; it was not till the
men commenced the old tune tor the sec
ond time that they began to show signs
Ofimpatience. The noise increased steidi-
ly. drowning the music. as the delay con-
tinued. There was hitch somewhere
ten minutes had gone, and mademoiselle
had not appeared.
| I'll go and see what's the matter,'' l
said. ''Will you GOMEZ"
Not now. I'll come Afterwards
So, leaving him there, quilted the ring,
and fastened round to the entrance of the
| inner tent.
| ''What are you waiting for 20 asked of
the fellow who made way for me to pass
something to do with that French girl. -
he answered grut1iy, as l went in. The
delay was over. l saw the white fianks
of the horse as the curtain fell behind it.
and heard the impatient stamping of
the people turn to applause at the
sight of their favOrite.
''She forgot something, suppose said
one of the men in the tent, speaking to
me !; tor she went back to her van, and
kept us all waiting"
my cousin in his seat exactly opposite.
He was not looking at the girl. He was
sitting there, with his arms folded. and
his head thrown back, taking no notice of
her, but staring at the canvas covering
straight i'm front of him. To any one who
did not know him he might seem to be
merely Indifferent to what was going on !:
but to me the expression of his face re-
called Immediately my remembrance of
him as he read the letter in our garden at
home.
A conviction flashed across me and, as
a sudden noise in the night, startling the
sleeper. rOuses into instant life, all his
Il hal
descriptions, speeches, crowded into my
mind with overwhelming proof that the
writer of the letter, the cause of my cous-
ms going to India, the girl he had
sought but never found, was before me. 1t
was my likeness to him she had recOg-
nized: it was about him that she had
hesitated to ask me. l saw her face, as
she was borne past, with its naughty,
fierce expression returned, and all the
passion blazing in her eyes and. at the
sight of it, L dropped the curtain and
turned away.
Hartman was standing in the ring. He
had never done so before; but as l
would be the end of the
meeting, l heard his voice calling out to
the men to be sharp. He had come to
fetch the wooden stage, up which the
horse mounted nightly, and stood with
its four hOofs close together upon the
small, round summit.
''Ah, Mr.. George" he said, as we met
in the middle of the tent; wasn't that
Mr.. Reginald with you? [ hardly knew
him at first. What makes him stop
there?'
He look tired and worried; and the tone
of his voice was so irritable that hardly
noticed the strangeness of his question.
''What's the matter Hartman ~ l asked.
'Mademoiselle been putting you out ?
What made her so late? You look awful
ly out of sOrts.''
.'When l saw you and Mr.. Reginald
come in, l called her, and pointed you out.
did it to cheer her bit; but, bless me !.
instead OF looking pleased, she turned
awfully white, and those great eyes of
hers famed and flashed like red-hof GOALS
why! what's the row nOw?' l cry out,
as she jumps off the saddle. But, without
a word, back she goes to her van, and
keeps us all waiting, till thought she
wasn't coming at all. So go and knock,
but the doors fastened. Don't be in a
hurry. I'll come directly she cries out /;
but l wait till she opens the door, and the
first thing l see is a bottle on the table, |
and then one of her drawers open, with
half the things turned out on the floor. |
Well she says coOlly, seeing me there.
couldn't you wait a minute?' No. L |
down. They will pull it down altogeth-
cr soon,' she mutters; and [ wish
they would and bury him under
it, Bury who?' l ask. Never |
mind,' she says. If you want |
me to ride tonight, let me pass |
''What was ]: to do?' he added, turning |
round to me. Il couldn't make a fuss, |
too. But what the devil she |
me ant l don't know: only L wish Mr.. |
Reginald wouldn't sit there, and L shall |
be mortal glad when she's safe back in
her van and that's the long and short of
it,
II will tell Reginald to come here l |
said and went to the curtain to beckon
to him across the ring.
There seemed little occasion for Har-
mans alarm. The horse was going
through his tricks rs quietly as ever, and
the girl seemed to be a little sharper with
the curb nothing more. She never
looked at Reginald, who sat, as before,
staring up at the canvass overhead, while
the rest of the audience watched intently
the movements of the horse and rider.
Examination What is she doing nOw?'
Hartman exclaimed pressing closer to me,
20 as to see better into the ring.
SONY new trick" | replied.
thought he was Over-eXcited. 'She is
pound to do something new on a benefit
night
1t didn't look dreadful. The perform
ince with the stage was over; and. in
stead of letting the horse gallop around
Is usual, the girl was taking it straight
lcross the ring, pulling it up when its
lead was almost over the low woodwork.
It had lashing effect; and the audience
lpplauded loudly.
'.Ies. yes. But Ali won't understand
t. Look! she is doing it again.
Yes again but she headed the horse
straight for where Reginald was sitting.
It's white body hid him from us, as it
.rossed the ring in a few strides. L felt
Hartman pressing to pass me, as the girl
.rouched upon the saddle; and. in the
second. instead of seeing her check the
horse, [ caught the CLEAN of the lights
Ipon spur driven deep into the
lnimals side. a loud shout of hor-
or rang in my ears, simultaneously with
wildly, spran" forward over the low
wood work, and fell full upon Reginald
n white struggling heap.
Amid cries and shrieks we dashed into
he ring. | saw my cousin spring up,
md people rush away from the spot.
others followed us. and crowded around
with great Oaths and hoarse
,oices. But. as we bent down, all the din
eemed unheard. Among the broken and
shattered benches was the 'lark-robed hg-
Ire of the girl, with uptIlrned face ana
,losed eyes, lying right under the body of
he horse, with its great heavy shoulder
.rushin" upon her bosom.
Georger' whispered voice above
ne, George Reginald was standing mt
he van-door, as l had seen the girl, six
rights before, with her tears glistrning in
he moonlight. Don't wait Tor me. III
.Ome to Won soon; don't wait. lie
,losed the door but his voice told me that
he girl was dead. II