Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-12-29


don't, JIM SHE SAID PLANTTvELY.
troupe of trained dogs, pricked up her
ears knowingly and rose to her feet
Hey, Rube" 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 hand. Don't, Jim"
she said plaintively. "He hasn't said
anything to me. It's just that they
want TO take me away"
Take you away" he cried incredu-
lousy. why, you've been with the
old show ever since you were a little
6iddie, ever since your ma died Of yel-
low fever In Rio, and we picked you
up the next season. That was way
back in 1892, and you were q little
shrimp Of twelve. Take you away!
I'd Ike 10 see the man who'd try itr'
ITS the money" she explained de-
spairingly I'm an heiress, and this
gentleman is the lawyer He wants
me to go back to New York with him
tonight"
For a single moment Blakely's frame
grew rigid The lawyer, a keen OBJ
server of men, followed clearly the
mental strain the circus man was un-
dergoing He could see what the girl
hoH hat &c Kt-ifh "a
uncouth mask OF zinc and carmine low
Cd 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 be spoke his voice was cold and
commonplace
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 q 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
cara VAN
They 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 broken
leg compelled him to take to clown
tng he had been a wonderful bare
back somersaulter himself
lie had hoped some day to make her
his wife when the nest egg in a city
savings bank had grown large enough
60 warrant the purchase Of a country
place and assure a competence when
they should have retired. Until then
be 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
Cor. 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
70 sit there about the bank and hear
the comment that would be made about
the good fortune and he went out back
OF the dressing tent. and, lighting the
short stub Of pipe he carried, blew
great clouds Of smoke into the soft
evening air as be tried to think what
the circus would be on the morrow,
with no little Nell to make every one
merry
There In the soft light that came
through the tent She found him. Out
front all was life and movement. Here
they were practically alone She slip
ped down beside him on the overturn-
ed manger and slipped her hand into
his. His horny palm closed over her
tiny fingers, and he put away the pipe.
but gave no other sign 1t was she
who opened the conversation.
II feel like a dream girl tonight"
she began conhdlnSly. Don't you re
member how we used to plan that If
we ever got money we would start a
show Of our own, and only have In
the company people we really liked and
make them do only one act apiece"
He laughed shortly.
IT'S funny what rot we think. Now
you've got the money, you've got to
go and live up to it, 1t would never
do for an heress to ride IN the ring"
'I don't want to go a bit" she pro-
tested This Is the life / know and