Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-05-30
CHAPTER III.

Signor EnricO, trainer of circus horses
and their riders, was handsome man Of
forty years, tall. dark and powerful. The
large, bright. dark eyes cleaned like pol
| ished bronze, and seemed as if they were
capable of piercing the Utmost recesses
OF the densest minds. The mouth, ever
ready to break into bland smiles, which
showed to perfection the clear, white
teeth. had lines around it which were hard
and cruel, and the thin, crimson lips al
most hidden by the heavy black mustache,
were set and firm. In his business he was
a monarch and welded the power usurp-
ed by him with an iron rod. 1t was his
pride to turn out the best lady riders in
the world. and those of his pupils who
outlived his training were as sure of sue
cess as the earth is sure Of the sunlight.
AS we introduce Enrco into this story.
he had just finished the whipping of a
young woman whose term of apprentice
ship to him had not expired, and who was
therefore his slave. She lay PROSTATE
and half senseless. and he stood by with
whip still in hald. True? Yes, and
the reader shall know more of that barbar-
GUS sort of life.
On this same day, which was seven
years later than the separation of John
Hayward and his wife, as told in the last
chapter, Ruby was delivered into Just
such bondage. The childs misguided
mother, after career of several seasons
in variety theaters, had died. The GUS
todians of the little girl, sitter the expira-
ton of the three years for which they had
been paid, had placed her in a private in
stitution and disappeared. When the
father had returned from the West and
sought his offspring, no trace Of her had
been obtainable. At length Enrico, in
quest of pretty and friendless child for
his business, saw and obtained Ruby, then
ten years old. He left the one slave,
whom he had chastised for insubordna-
ton, and went to another room, where he
received, as legally bounden apprentice,
another in the person of Ruby.
AS they closed the door the child gave
one maddened scream and then another,
and fought like young ioness for her
liberty. Enrico held the child until she
was thoroughly exhausted. and then plac-
ed her on an easy chair. She turned her
head from him and hid it in the cushion,
sobbing bitterly and muttering only just
audibly. II want to 60 home! DO take
me homer
He opened the door and called: "Vie.
Vic! l want you now, this moment
The girl who responded was handsome,
with bold. merry manner, which sank
little in the presence Of the trainer. The
reader will recognize in Vic, now a circus
rider, the Mary Armstrong Of the first
chapter. After being supplanted in John
Hayward's heart by Cynthia Dawson,
she had felt unable to endure life among
those who knew of it; and utilizing her
skill as horsewoman, she had speedily
become proficient circus rider. The
lapse of years had not softened her nat
ural bluntness Of manner, nor had expert
ence in a circus polished her speech. As
the wife of Jack, she might have become
ladylike, but as o performer in a circus
she had acquired the roughness of her
calling. She had NO idea, of course, that
it was John Hayward's child whom she
saw begin to tremble, and whose lips
blanched as she grew deathly white
''Signor, look! The girl has faintedr'
swell, get some water, and hurry up"
They bathed the girls head with the
cool water; she opened her eyes, and the
pretty pink tinge came back to her cheeks.
"Am l at home now?" she family
asked.
Eyes, DEAR" replied Vic, "you are at
home"
what do you tell that lie for, Ell? No,
you are not at home, SO you had better
make the best of it. Look here, Vic. you
take her up to her room, and see if you
can't make friends. Curse it all! One
girl ought to be deuced comfort to an
other"
Vic drew Ruby toward her and led her
out of the room, saying: Don't cry.
there's dear. We are jolly lot here
a bit roguish at times; but never you
mind, Ill stick your friend. 'Tain't half
bad hang-Out, after all. You won't like
it to-day, nor yet tomorrow, nor yet the
day after that-'tain't likely you should,
You get used to things after time, and
become qaite fond of what you hated be-
fore, and you will like the ring. 'Tis
great fun"
1.-THE ring-what does that mean? l
don't understand you," gasped Ruby.
The truth of the matter was thereupon
learned by Ruby, but not the whole truth
in all it's horrors. Poor child. the agony
of that hour was such that she called on
death to come, and to come to her at once.
Fortunately, sleep ut length came, and for
the time being drowned her sorrows
On the next afternoon Ruby was taken
to the circus tents.
(To be continued)
#
Lung Preservcr.