The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-03-18

III You be my wife or not, Flo !?
asked her one night when we hap
pened to he alone
She still temporized and / fully be
lieved now that she enjoyed torturin,
ME.
well, Jack, | like you well enough,
she answered, "but | cannot say low,
you yet. Besides, there are"
"Others," | interrupted. "Oh, yes
L know you have dozen of admirer
as well as me, and one of the princips
ones of them isis"
Jim" she suggested promptly
"fou may as well say il us think it
OF course he likes me and | like him
But, d" she added coaxingly, al like you
too, Jack; still you must wait"
"And suppose you had never seen
Jim" | suggested.
''Oh, goodness knows ~ she Uttered.
Perhaps | should have accepted YOU
before this time. Bat there goes eight
O'Clock you'll be late for your turn. as
you call it, if you don't hurry"
turned and walked slowly away.
having plenty of time before me and
no inclination to work. The way to
the circus, which was a canvas one i'm
an open space on the outskirts of the
town, was through a shady lane. As
| rambled moodily along | noticed as
/ neared bend a man who drew be-
hind clump of bushes as | passed.
One glance was sufficient. It was
jim, In flash il came to me that he
was there To meet Flo. Restraining
my passion, with grim determination.
| passed on, then crept through small
gap in the hedge and stealthiiy re-
turned 10 the spot TO listen to tie forth
coming interview. In a few minutes
she came tripping along; the next
minute she was i'm his arms, while he
showered kisses on her upturned face.
The sight maddened me and only bv
tremendous efforts did / restrain nv
self from rushing upon them. At last
she said, as she released herself:
'There, that'll do, jim; | want to tell
you something" Then, in her pretty,
artless fashion she related our last con-
versatiOn. Jim listened TO the end,
and then said very gravely:
"Poor old Jack; I'm truly sorry to
hnar This / v-tZI 4. - A
fore.n
THAT wouldn't have prevented you
falling in love with me, though, Jim,"
she reasoned.
"No," he retorted, still more gravely.
Perhaps not, but it woald have pre-
vented me confessing it, Good heav-
ensi- what will-Iaek fh;nk- of the
"DOn't be a baby" she cried, ''you
haven't stolen his sweetheart. i like
old Jack very much-no one could help
that-but don't love him, jim like |
do-well, some one who is not hun
dred miles away"
1t was dusk, so it was impossible to
see her face, but | could well imagine
how she looked at him n she said this.
I'm sure no man on earth could have
resisted the temptation, and Jim didn't.
He embraced her again. | could stand
il no more and rushed frantically away,
reaching the circus in state of agita-
ton that was noticed by every one.
"For 'eaven's sake, what's the mat
ter?r asked old Morritz. ''Ave you
bin a-drinkin' ~
"No ~ | almost shouted. I'm as
sober rs Judge. Let me alone"
He shrank away with q look of fear
on his greasy, Jewish features. Hav-
ing dressed myself saw TO the fixing
of our apparatus, taking more than
usual care to make sure all the gear was
sound and in good order; why | knew
not, but | shall be thankful for the ex-
ira bit of precaution to my dying day.
AT the very last moment Jim arrived
and lust had time to get his war paint
on-that is, don his theatrical finery-
when the bell rang for our appearance.
As we prepared to go on he looked at
me earnestly and whispered: whats s
wrong, Jack ~
Al know ALL" Missed. Lets Us
get through this nights business and
then part before worse comes of it.
He flushed crimson through lis
"make up" but said nothing, and We
went on together, as usual, meeting
with splendid reception. That even
ing Jim fairly surpassed himself IN
skill, grace and daring. ] could per
ceive along the sea of faces below, tha
of Flora Denbigh, with her eyes fixed
admiringly upon him. My blood boil
ed, | felt sick and giddy, half mad witt
jealousy, and desire for revenge.
We had now reached one Of on
final acts. | was hanging from tn
bar by my feet ; Jim was at the othe
trapeze preparing for flying leap int
INV hands, whence he was to take
couple of somersaults into the net bt
meath us. He gave the signal and tn
next instant was shooting toward IN
like an arrow. We gripped and too
the usual swing to and fro /: as ! pr'
pared to let go felt his clasp on IN
wrists tighten spasmodically.
| knew that something was wrong
/ looked down his eyes met min
without a sign of intelligence the
were rolling horribly, filmy and blood
shot-his features were purple, an
looked swoolen, while his form wa
r stiffened like that of a corpse. The
the awful truth came to me with
shock: he was in fit of some kline
/ was SO startled that | nearly let g
, NV hold, he swayed to and fro MOI
1 slowly, and stopped dead the persp
/. ration rolled from my own on his u
/, turned face. The tension of my mu
y cles was becoming unbearable. trit
I to call for help, but no sound escape
e my parched throat. 1t was evident
4 the onlookers, professionals and a
who thought we were about to perfor
7 some new and startling feat.
"a IfIwas mad with jealousy befor
v was crazy nov with horror. VIII
v could / do? II | dropped him
r would fall an inert mass into the m
+ and either break his neck or bul
d through and reaeh the ground crush
n and bleeding, if not killed outright,
"A least crippled for life. His head nc