, 1889-01-27

you; her nerves win be stronger"
He slouched across the a and down
the steps, Meg lazily watching him as he
passed out into tho red light of the sun
set. And she stood w~atching-not Jim;
but something far away n beyond
Jim-until tho sun, glowing and red,
dipped into the under world"
Pritchett's Universally Renowned Circus-Darng
Equestrian Fents-Marvclous Pistol Perform
anco-Jim, the Worlds Wonder. WIN Shoot a
Cigar from q womAn's Lips at a Distance Of
Twenty Yards
Tho bills were posted on tho walls Of
Blessington early on the following day.
The excitement In the circus was almost
as great as that among the inhabitants
of the town. for, though Jim had often
spoken of the cignr business" mont of
the company had expected that Meg
would consent to stand calmly to DO
shot ut.
Meg was herself surprised to find that
she had yielded 10 Jim's ma~sterfulness
They had been prnCticing all the morn
ing, and she had so often gone safely
through the ordeal that already 1t had
begun to lose its terror. Why should
Meg-with n character elemental, animal,
gross-repose In this Jim n passionate
confidence which touched her whole
being to finer issues2 Who can tell7 II
may be the divine spark never wholly
becomes extinct In any human soul. Be
cause tho lower nature loved. the higher
trusted.
Jim himself had not given her so much
as a word of c~ommendation, but 1t
scarcely mattered to Meg. 1t was enough
for her apathetic nature to know that
she had proved herself MS brave us Lin,
and that he could not now taunt her
with %"nerves," or institute comparisons
between her age and that of her rival.
Alone In her caravan she shuddered
n grew cold Mt the thought of the
evening performance, when before the
excited spectators she would hnve to
stand, cigar in mouth, to be shot at.
That was how the action Rlwaysnppeared
10 her; It was not the cigar ut which Jim
was aiming, but herself.
a sudden ear shot sharply through
her and reused her to a vivid sense of
peril. She would not do It'll Nothing
should induce her to become a target for
Jtml She would refuse at tho last mo-
ment, when h presence OF the manager
would protect her from Jim's anger.
As she decided thus. Jim came In and
tossed a small parcel into her lap.
That's for your pluck, Meg" he said,
n faint show of admiration in his voice.
You wear it tonight, and when /
see it shall know how to take aim"
Meg opened the parcel slowly, debat-
ing with herself whether to tell Jim she
was not going through any performance
that night. But when she saw the gaudy
red stone in its setting of cheap metal
she looked up smiling.
Its n beautiful brooch. You never
gave me anything before, Jim. I'll DO
certain to wear it tonight"
She had decided her fate. Nothing
would induce her to disappoint Jim now,
and deny herself the pleasure of launt-
ing the brooch-Jim's gift-before Liza's
onvious eyes. She stood firmly enough
on the platform that evening, and she
did not finch when Jim took up his posi-
ton twenty yards from her and aimed
deliberately. MS it seemed, at her head.
II was n moment of terrible tension,
yet the cigar in her white lips was held
firmly and steadily
Her profile WINS toward the man, and
after h first glance she could not see
him, but she was conscious of every
movement no made.
Then, n quick, sharp shot. Tho cigar,
cut In two, fell TO the ground; n wild
cheer burst from the spectators, and
Meg, unframed, went slowly out Of the
tent.
=
Lifo in the circus, even life colored
with the varitoncd light of love, was
neither a beautiful nor an eventful
thing. Tho u rose md set, tho daily
performances took place, Meg went
through her ordeal until it ceased to be
one, nnd only the rise and fall of human
passion broke the monotony of tho
camp.
Yet it had its romances, too; its sea-
sons of birth and burial; its episodes of
love and marriage, the latter not always
regarded Us n sine qua non by the lovers,
and now and then n tragedy would DO
enacted upon Its small stage.
Rumor had been busy of late with
Meg's name.
OF her past tho company knew little
it was as well not to peer too closely into
personal histories when so few would
bear looking into. A stone thrown at
ones neighbor might rebound upon one's
self.
Meg's past was therefore allowed to lie
buried.
The past is our own, not our neigh
bors, and 1t may remain peaceably In
its grave; but tho present belongs to the
community, and IN offenso against the
Now Is nn insult to our own times.
Meg's name began TO be freely whis-
percd about.
Among tho ut first; then the
rumor spread, and the men-disposed to
ook tolerantly Mt any lapse In morality
which testified to their influence over
he frail sex-would wink slyly when
she passed them. Jim was tho last to
hear tho whisper that was circulating;
and when he did so, he laughed and
winked with the rest, and abstractedly
turned over in his pockets some stray
shots remaining from tho pistol charge
of the previous night.
They say he has given her a gold
brooch" he heard, as he moved
away; but the words fell UNDECIDED on
his ears, and he sauntered off in the
direction of Meg's van. He entered,
and, finding 1t empty, sat down, mood
lily, to wait the woman's arrival.
lie had not long to wnit. Meg's step,
slower and heavier than of old, was
heard ascending the ladder, and Meg
herself stood breathless at the door.
She gave a slight start upon seeing
Jim, then came In and greeted him in
her usual impassive manner
The man maintained q eulky silence;
and, used to his moods, she busted her
self quietly about the small matters of
her menage
All at once he spoke, and his tone OF