Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-09-28

Cam had forgotten.
At tho entrance she was met by Meg
Hudson.
''Como away, my lambiel' said the old
woman, folding the girl in her arms as
she slipped from her saddle. 1--WE got IA
nice bowl Of milk for your supper; then you
can go straight to your bed. You shall
have no more harsh words ~tonight-no,
nor any other night-from that old tartar,
if l can help it
A flaming p%lacard on the boardings
next day announced n specially attractive
programme for the last night at Braxton.
But before night came the circus tent was
struck, the caravans were packed, and the
travelling company had fed in sudden
panic.
Old Meg had been aiiing for two or
three days. No amount of warm gin had
succeeded in banishing the shivcring
which took possession of her, and that
morning she was seriously ill, and nc doc
tor was needed to pronounce the terrible
word ''smallpox." Old Meg was left de-
serted in the small caravan where she lay.
The wardrobes fortunately We're not in tho
same caravab, and Leo Salterne's circus
company took a rapid flight to the nearest
town.
Queen Cam had begged hard to stay be
hind, but the manager wouldn't hear OF
it, SO, weeping and reluctant, she took her
place. She would be required for the pa
rade, and, besides, if sho got smallpox and
lost her beauty her career would be ended.
An old woman more or less didn't matter,
and secretly the manager rejoiced that a
sure and certain means was at hand Of
silencing Meg's tongue forever. She was
the only one who knew the dreaded secret.
1t was 1S years now since Jack Forrest,
She handsome young riding master, had
run away with the only daughter Of the
squire Of Braxton. The squire had never
noticed his daughter since, and when Jack
broke his neck over a gigantic hurdle in
view of a crowd the shock killed his young
wife, who left behind her in old Meg's
charge a few valuable jewels, her mar
riage lines and Il tiny baby girl. Old Meg
had stuck to those treasures fiercely
through thick and thin, but the secret
would die with her. Camilla's identity
would remain unknown and the manager
would take possession of the girl soul and
body.
There was IA hue and cry in the camp
next morning, for the queen was missing,
Her rough bed had not been slept in, but
all her tawdry robes and finery We're there.
She must have gone away in the yeriest
rags. OF course they knew where she had
gone, for Cam knew nc such thing as fear,
and the manager swore loudly that some
one must go at once and fetch her. But
there was the smallpox-that was a greater
sovror tI,o,, thu M turnth
Ronald King went home haunted by
the duplication Of those beautiful eyes.
He hurried over an important engagement
next day to go to the last performance,
but reached the place only to find that the
Arabs had folded their tents and silently
stolen away. One solitary caravan alone
marked the spot, and, lighting a Gig arette,
he strolled up to where it stood.
The sound Of moaning came from with
in, and after knocking vainly he opened
the door. A miserable sight met his eyes.
An old woman-ill, dying, lying on a
rough straw pallet-turned a haggard face
to the intruder.
Ronald had seen sickness before. Out in
the bush any n helped Il dying comrade,
and soon he had moistened the parched
lips, arranged a pillow under the aching
head, lighted the swinging lamp and sat
down in the miserable howell, while with
eager hands the woma gave a packet into
his keeping and told him a story which
seemed to the young man only the rawlings
of delirium. 1t wal vain to seek a doctor
then. The nearest one was miles away.
In the morning he should come.
Presently the moaning ceased, and the
old mi slept. Then Ronald slipped
quietly out. with a strange thankfulness
at heart that it was not the beautiful
Queen Camilla who had fallen q victim to
this terrible scourge.
With morning light he was back again,
but paused on the riokety steps Of the car
AVIAN at the sight that met his eyes, and in
that moment his heart went out from his
keeping.
Seated on the floor in Cinderella garb of
brown rags, the woman's head in her lap,
was the girl he loved. What matter that
she was a circus rider, a girl of the people
that she was shorn of her pomp and gilt
ter? Though she were the very scum Of the
earth, he loved her. She was his queen-a
queen in rags!
One glance told him old Meg was dead,
and gently he relieved the girl Of her bur-
den.
"You must come with me, " he said,
looking into her beautiful eyes. "You can
do no more for her. She is dead"
"She was the only friend had. Oh,
what shall I do without hers sobbed
Cam. II have no home. 1t is all a
strange, dark mystery. l do not even
know my own anne.
Then it flashed across Ronald that those
papers, that rambling talk, had not been
delirium after all.
$50 you are really my cousin? 1t is you
who must reign here and not l."
"And what shall you do!"
"Iy' He met her gaze steadily. Never
now must this girl know that he wor-
shipped her. 81 shall 60 back to Australia"
he said huskily.
''Ihere is room enough for us both here,
Ron. But If you must go''-shyly-''you
will take me with you?"
Then she was in his arms. Answers.
Efforts to save Macmillan.