The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-09-22

the asserted authority OF his father made
him resentful and extravagant, while she
-ah. she could make him successful
man; she knew she could; she knew her
power. Did not all the people of the cir
Gus look up to her? Did not Barney de-
pend upon her? The circus! She wrench
ed her hand from his. The circus.
Your father was right" she said.
You know little or nothing about me-
He sprang to his feet. What do you
mean?" he demanded.
She regarded him. He was a man, every
inch man, loving man. And in her
heart was crying out for love for re-
finement such as his, for all that he knew
and she knew not. for freedom from the
life that was hers
He caught her by the arm. "Tell me-"
he said.
Surely she might ruin his prospects by
marrying him. And yet he loved her, and
there was SO much happiness in that
thought!
Tell me!' he repeated
You took too much for granted" she
said hoarsely and rose to her feet And
yet r.
You shall marry me-" he thundered
by heaven. you SHALL"
81 will not she said. yet"
He stepped back from her
You do not love mel" he cried rs
that it?"
She fingered the buttons Of her coat till
one of them came off and rolled to her
feet
81 cannot" she said. now"
Cannot he echoed. What do you
mean by 'caunot?' Do you mean that yoL
cannot love me? You dare not? Is there
any obstacle2 What do l care for all the
obstacles in the world?"
THAT may be it," she said. IAN obsta
cle and yet I love-
IAN obstacle,' he repeated. There is
no obstacle short of legal one
"A legal one?" she interrupted.
"Tell me-" he said. you are free; you
are not bound to any one; you are not the
wife of some one else?"
The wife of some one else!
1t was as though he gave her a cue.
Yet could she tell that lie? He was so
young; she was not of his world. Dared
she withhold any lie when all his future
trembled in the balance?
Tell me- he was saying. 81 will never
give you up unless-unleSs you are bound
to some one else l had not thought of
that. Tell me 1t is not true"
She was white to the lips. She made an
Intellectual effort to speak.
Think of met he pleaded.
Think of him! Then she said boldly,
Barney. the owner of the crcus'-and
paused.
He is my husband!" she said
She could have cried out at the look
that came to his face
And you never told me-" he said You
led me on all this time. You are the falls
est woman ever created"
He is my husband she said as before.
| He gave her long look
my father" he said, was right"
| He was leaving her when she called his
| name. She might tell him the truth even
| yet and-have him sacrifice everything for
| her. And dared she forsake her own du-
ties? She snapped the string about her
| neck and held out the ring he had given
| her.
mo" he cried, repulsing her. IT would
not touch ii after 1t has lain over your
| cruel heart"
at was your mothers" she faltered.
at was my mothers, but she never
| wore it. The jewels my mother wore shall
| be worn by the woman who shall be my
wife, not by the one who has been false
| as q woman can be!'
She heard his footballs become fainter
| and fainter. She did not see him leave
her, everything was so blurred before her
eyes.
She gave deep sigh. Something hurt
her hand She looked down and saw Vat
| she had pressed the ring so tightly that 1t
| cut her palm. She regarded the jeweled
| CirClet
ut will pay the salaries" she said,
land buy shoes for Teddy and Chrissy. l
| promised Eliza. And now 1 must make
haste to the tent and get supper or l shall
be late for my stunt" And mo, nor and
! again mo, no!' and she laid her lips on
the ring in her hand, then threw it as far
as she could into the dust of the road. She
hurried away, holding her coat tightly
across her breast as though the fierce
| pressure helped her.
Mile. Clernentlne looked old for the first
| time in her life.