The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1894-12-15
A ROMANCE.

We We're billed as the "Chlnese JaVe-
lin-T hrowers," which meant that one
Of us stood motionless against Il frame
work, while the other cast two-edge6
knives all about him from a measured
distance. Dangerous work, OF course.
and work that required incessant prac'
tice; but it paid, because we could al
ways hold the crowds breath. Humid
reds, for instance, would pay their
money just to see that last trick, when
the thrower had to pin his targets head
to the board by three blades hurled
in quick sucession-one on either side
of the neck and one over the crown.
Our reputation for snartncss was Justi-
fed. l only remember one solitary mis-
chance: Jim. swerving ut a shout, q
once laid open my cheek. Quite by ac-
cident, of course, because l don't sup
pose two men We're ever. more
sincerely attached to one another than
he and Until that first night ut Han
lev just before Christmas. Then the
shadow of a woman somehow glided
between us. But you have guessed
that. There could hardly be romance
without a woman.
They say that every woman mas q
kind of beauty to some mans way OF
thinking, and perhaps that explains
why, when I first saw l.ottie Somer
SGT, I saw something which set me
trembling for my peace OF nina al
once. She had just Joined us, and was
riding as BRITANNIA In the town pro-
cession, with dark hair waving loose,
gauzy white robe flutteriug, clear eyes
shining calmly down at the crowd, and
slight figure swaying atop OF the trl-
umphal car.
That was nothing. Most Of them had
a more OF less angelic look ON that
lofty perch. The mischief began When,
as Lottie stepped to the ground. we
found that distance had lent very little
to her looks. 1 say we; for 1nstlnct
told me very Don that the same fever
had seized Jim. Just as l was con-
scious that I threw my best that night
because she looked on from a side door,
40 l knew that jim held his curly head
an inch higher for the same reason.
It was the same the next night, and
the next. Befor, J knew it n jealousy
of him and his superior looks had
sprung up in me.
III "StS lllt1lSAooA1ASs iASA> 49, wv"
coolly confident. Night after night 1
watched how, as he stood smiling there
In the bright light, with the knives
whizzing about him, his eyes were al
ways turned to that side door. I'm
certainty alone checked any words be-
tween us. As the days went by, no
one could have said that either Of us
had made Il way into her affections.
Sometimes l would believe l had made
her understand, and would so home
on feet Of air. while jim would be
modify quiet; then, next night it would
be Jim with the flushed cheeks, and.
myself white-faced and savage-~We
never spoke Of it, yet the shadow grew
thicker between us. And 1t. always
seemed to me that Jim, working In
the dark, would be the winner In this
silent desperate struggle.
For it had come to desperation. One
4 night four last but one at Hanley)1
saw her give him the sprig OF scarlet
berries she had just worn. That was
ss..4e match to the powder; my jealousy
famed up in a moment.
He was excited. He talked fever
ishly as we walked back to our lodg-
ing. I listened, teeth and hands clench-
ed. When he said, among other things,
that Lottie Somerset was thinking OF
leaving the circus, and had advised him
to give up his dangerous profession, I
felt as though he had dealt me a phys
ical blow, 1t stupefied me, or I think
I should have ended it then and there,
| because he spoke az though the secrets
| and desires of Lottie's heart were at
one with his own. BY the time that we
| reached our oom I hated my brother
| Jim.
Hate is the father of evil sugges-
| tons. I wanted those berries-or, rath-
er, 1 meant to know how much the
| gift implied. But he seemed too ex.
| cited to understand. He set up our
dummy figure against the wall Ind be-
| gar practice, but soon gave it up, be-
| cause the knives either went wide or
pierced the dummy. Then he paced the
room, saying that his hand was losing
it's cunning, and he should certainly
abandon the profession for a more noble
one. Finally he sat down and hung
dreamily over the sprig Of berries, act
ing as though he had been alone with
some great delight.
And that maddened me. l was hard
" conscious Of it, but the truth is that
I snatched up one. of the knives and
took aim at him as he sat. No o
than that. He came to himself sud-
denly, and put up both ha'ids with q
shout of surprise.
MAX, Max, you'd never do it to your
own brother!v
Drop them!" L whispered, so fierce
ly, that he began to realize.
He Obeyed. "Oh, Maxi" was all he
said, in a shocked voice.
The knife fell from my fingers. l
loved him while I hated;,a soft word
from him would have brought me to my
knees. But he only sat, staring from
me to the berries. In that minute each
tried to read the others thoughts, and
he must have read Alright. He picked
up the berries and held them out.
VERY well, then" he said, quietly,
take them"
Passion had made me perverse. Il
don't want Them" I replied, harshly;
II want herr" I took up the knife
and went to the door. "Jim," I said,
pointing it at him, let that be enough.
1t means-dOn't come between us"
Most Of that night / spent wandering
the streets, ready to cry like a child
when I thought Of him sitting alone
there, and insanely mad again at the
thought of losing Lottie to him. How
he passed the hours heaven alone
could know. :
/ saw nothing more Of him until the
next evening, when he and / walked
as knights in the last procession. He
was a shade paler than usual, but did
not speak. A little later / saw him talk
ing earnestly with LOttie, and her hand
rested upon his own once or twice.
She beckoned to mt, but by then i
wal In q blaze. l turned with q sneer.,
which deepened when I saw her sur.
ss1rnpisod and NAMED look. Shp. nrOud