The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1904-12-22

''DON'T, JIMI' SHE SAID PLAINTIyELY.
troupe of trained dogs. pricked up her
ears knowingly and rose to her feet
Hey, Ruber' the circus war cry from
time immemorial, was no new sound
to her, and she looked affectionately at
the left leg of the strangers carefully
creased trousers, deciding that a spot
about four inches below the knee
would be the strategic point for a
grip.
Nellie raised q hand. Don't, jim"
~sehe said plaintively. "He hasn't said
anything to me. It's just that they
want to take me away"
TAKE you away lie cried incredu-
lousy. Why, you've been with the
old show ever since you were a little
kiddie, ever since your ma died of vel
low fever in Rio, and we picked you
up the next season. That was way
back in 1892, and you were little
shrimp of twelve Take you away.
I'd like to see the man who'd try it,
Its the money" she explained de-
spairingIy. I'm an heiress, and this
gentleman is the lawyer He wants
ne to go back to New York with him
tonight"
For a single moment Blakelys frame
grew rigid. The lawyer, keen ob-
server Of men, followed clearly the
mental strain the circus man was IN
defgoing. He could see what the girl
had never seen, that this man with the
uncouth mask of zine and carmine low
ed the little rider. and In the brief
struggle he read the fight of an honest
man with his own desires. In that
short space Blakely made his fight.
When he spoke his voice was cold and
commonplace.
1--WE always Said," he commented,
that your mothers people must be
of the right sort I'm glad of it. Work
with the tents isn't for such as you"
Then he turned, but more than the
!. makeup came off on the towel as he
hurriedly changed his face for the dog
act
AS one in a daze he put his pets
through their PAGES, and after the show
was over and the concert audience
was slowly filing into the show lot he
still went about his work as though
in dream.
He had loved and watched over Mel
lie ever since that time in Rio ia
metro when, 'way back in 1892"
they had picked up the little slip of
girl the sole survivor of a circus
troupe which had played through
South America the season before
He had known Frank Cosgrove well,
fine, gentlemanly fellow, who had
run off with an English girl when her
parents had objected to her marrying
the riding master of an English
caravan.
Tkey had come to America to es-
cape memories, and she had taken up
with circus life as willingly as though
she had not been reared in luxury. 1t
was Blakely who had persuaded Del
more to take the girl into the troupe,
and it was he who had completed her
education as a rider. Before a broken
leg compelled him to take to clown
ing be had been a wonderful bare
back somersaulter himself.
He had hoped some day to make her
bis wife when the nest egg in a city
savings bank had grown large enough
to warrant the purchase of \ country
place and assure a competence when
they should have retired. Until then
he had spoken no word of love, but
> rather had encouraged her to look upon
him as her foster father.
Now he was to lose her and all that
he had planned and worked and saved
for. But it was best for her-that
was enough for him.
He took no part In the ring bank
chat after supper. He had no heart
to sit there about the bank and hear
the comment that would be made about