The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-05-30

same size and the same carriage, and
Vida was delighted.
Its lots OF fun" she told Marshall
ITS like hiring some one to die for
you. don't you know"
The laughing words flashed across
Marshall one night when "Flimham"
was on Its third month. He happened
to be standing at the foot Of the stairs
leading up to the platform where the
machine stood. AS she came by to
take her place in II Little Brlghteyes
had to pass him, and for the first time
their eyes met. Marshall never moved
when she had gone up the stairs. He
had forgotten "Fllmtam" and New
York. Somewhere, some time, so long
ago that he didn't like to remember 1t
or have other people either, one Nick
Marshall had run little one ring cir
Gus through the country towns-abOut
thirteen years back-and there had
been a girl, pretty, piquant girl, who
rode a horse In the parade and drove
a chariot in the funny, shabby little
grand entry, and after a couple OF
years of the one ring circus Nick Mar
shall had decided his talent lay In New
York and had left the circus and the
little country towns and other handi-
caps behind him.
The burst Of applause from the front
Of the house recalled him. The ma
chine was released, and the American
heireSs incog. was doing her nightly
stunt" And suddenly there was q
dull, strange crash, and the music stop
ped. Marshall spoke over his shoulder
as he made for the stage and they
rang down the curtain and started up
the music again, for the public must
not see unpleasant things when 1t takes
Its gayety. and there was a most un-
pleasant thing lying under the autOmo-
bile that had turned turtle.
She isn't dead" said Davis as he
and Vida bent over the slim figure in
the white suede cloak. Get her to the
hospital and she will pull through. It's
only the shoulder smashed"
Marshall pushed the two to one side
and lifted the figure In his arms. AS
he did so Little Brighteyes opened her
eyes and smiled up at him.
Hello, boy" she said family. Mar
shall bent his head and kissed her be-
fore the whole crowd.
Never mind the hospital, Davis" he
said quietly. "Tll take Mrs. Marshall
home myself"
And the rest watched him as he
strode across the stage with his bur-
den out to where carriage waited at
the side door to the theater. Then
Vida looked up at Davis and laughed
as the stage was cleared for the cur
tain raising.
I've known it for weeks" she said.
Il tried and tried to think where l
had seen her before, and then all at
once it came to me. Nick married her
back In the circus days and then left
her out west in some dead and alive
hole, while he came ON to New York
to try to make good. He made good,
but forgot all about any responsibility
out west, and she was too proud to
hunt him up when she thought he
didn't want her. saw her in comic
opera out in Frisco eight or nine years
ago. She made big success in Fat
inltza | remembered her all at once
watching her play that drum. But 1t
was her own affair, and l didn't tell.
Nick played fair at the climax, didn't
hep
Davis nodded. But as he watched the
laughing, pretty face beside him, white
to the lips, as when she had taken that
first ride down the run, he knew that
one other besides Nick had played fair,
too-falr to Little Brighteyes.