The Red Cloud chief., 1905-03-10
IL said, What Is it?'

SHlu, W nat is III!
81 jest wanted to say me and YOU
certainly did fool these here HOLSTERS
this morning. Hustled them two fell
lers through the courthouse. and no
body thought to slip round to the other
door and head III Off. lila. ha! We
were jest Il lcctlc too many fer 'em,
huh?'
From an upper tier of seats the rusty
length of Mr.. Martin erected itself
joint by joint, like IN extension ladder,
and he pccrcd down over the gaping
faces ut the town marshal. Excuse
me-" he said sadly to those behind him,
but his dry voice penetrated every
where. 81 got up to hear Jim say we
again"
Mr.. Bardlock joined in the laugh
against himself and proceeded with
his wife to some seats forty or fifty
feet distant. When he had settled him
self comfortably he shouted over cheer.
fully to the unhappy editor. 'Tlcm
shell men got IL in fer you. Mr.. IIark-
Less
"llain't that fool sllct up yitI" snarl-
ed the aged Mr.. Bodclicr Indignantly.
He was sitting near the young couple,
and the expression of his sympathy
was distinctly audible to them and
many others. Got no more regards
than Il brazing calf-disturbin' Il Teller
with his sv;ectheart.'
"Thc both of 'em says they're going
to do fer We" blcatcd Mr.. Rarllock;
"swcars they'll kctch their eyens with
ye."
Mr.. Martin rose again. Don't cit
scared and leave town. Mr.. Harklcss,'
he called out. Jim II protect you"
Vastly To the young mans relief the
band began to play and the cqucstrians
and cqucstrienncs cahcrcd out from
the dressing tent for the grand en-
trance and the performance com
mcnccd. Through the long summer
afternoon ii went on-wondcrs of
Craftsmanship and of horscwomanship,
hair raising exploits on wires tight
and slack. giddy tricks on the high
trapczc, feats of lcaping and tum-
bling in the rings, While the ~tirclcss
musicians blatted inspiringly through
1t all, only pausing long enough to
allow that riotous Jester, the clown.
TO ask the ~ringmastcr what he would
do if Il young lady came up and kissed
him ON the street, and TO explode his
witticisms during short intervals of
rest for the athletes.
When IL was over, John and Helen
fOpnI thnn.Snlvns in tho midst Of N
acnsely packed crowd and separated
from Miss Briscoe and Ligc. People
were pushing and showing. and he saw
her face grow pale. lie realized with o
pang of sympathy how helpless he
would feel If he We're as small as she
and at his utmost height could only
see big. ~suifocating backs and huge
shoulders pressing down from above.
He was keeping them from crowding
heavily upon her with all his strength,
and Il royal feeling of pr~otcctivencss
calnc over him. She was 50 little. And
yet, without the rcmotcst hint of hard
ness. she gave him such II distinct i'm.
preston of poise and equilibrium. She
seemed 90 able to meet anything that
might come, To understand it-cyen ia
laugh ut it-So Amcricanly capable and
sure of the event that. in spite of her
pale cheek, he could not feel quite SO
protective as he wished to feel.
He managed to get her to one Of the
tent poles and placed her with her back
to it,. Then he set one of his OVID
hands against it, over her head, brac
ed himself and stood keeping n little
space about her and ruggcdly letting