Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-01-16

he had sought to attract her attention,
for she was remarkably pretty girl,
but the two men with her resented
even look and kept such close guard
over her that there had been no chance
to make her acquaintance.
"What are you up to-" he demanded
roughly 81 am a detective"
"They thought you were," she gasp
ed as he raised his hand to permit her
to reply. Don't let them catch me,
will you? They have gone to rob the
houses"
"But how?' he asked curiously.
''They seem to walk on air."
"They used to be wire walkers" she
explained, "but they tried tumbling
afterward. They are walking on the
telegraph wires"
"They won't hold up" he scoffed.
Eyes, they WILL" she persisted. "Over
here they have fastened them, and they
are strong on the other side. It's easier
to walk on a slack wire than on tight
one, you know. This gives just the
right sag"
But how do they bring the stuff
back?' he persisted.
"Wait and you will see," she eau
toned.
Danvers slipped behind a chimney,
and presently the pair returned, push
ing before them wheelbarrow with
grooved wheel. One of them carried
Japanese umbrella painted black, with
which he preserved their balance while
the other pushed. They dumped their
load on the roof and turned back.
When they had disappeared down one
of the scuttles on the other side Dan
vers stepped out again.
"How long have you been with these
men%' he demanded. you don't look
like their sort"
"They were with circus" she ex
planned 81 ran away with jim; that's
the smaller one. He watches me so
that / do not have chance to get
away from him.
"Is this regular trickT' he de-
handed. She shook her head
Business is bad this year. The boys
can't get work. They were fooling one
night on the roof and found that the
wire was strong enough to bear them.
They used to carry me in the wheel
barrow in the show, and they got the
idea of robbing the houses. They cut
the alarm wire and can come and go
as they please When the men were
watching they walked right over their
heads"
'I'd like to get after them" he said.
II could drive them down to the street
where the Waterman is"
'Tf you won't tell I'll take yOu," she
volunteered Don't be afraid. I can
do it,"
She caught up another parasol from
the roof and spread it. Ride picka-
back" she commanded
Danvers put his arms about her
shoulders and raised his feet clear.
Slowly she adjusted her weight to the
wire and began to make her way
across Somewhere he had read that it
would not do to look down, so he shut
his eyes and hung on.
her balance and for IA moment worked
the parasol violently while she regain
ed it. Then she pressed en- again, and
at last, with sigh, she stepped off the
wire, and Danvers opened his eyes.
They were on the farther side, and
just beyond was the open scuttle.
LET me go back" pleaded the girl.
"They must not know that helped you
or they would kill me when you got
out. You must never tell how you
made the trip. Pretend that you saw
them and climbed fire escape. am
going to be gone by the time you get
back to the house"
"But how can / reward your" he
questioned.
She threw a glance at him.
Il can get a divorce if Jim is con
victed. My freedom is a rich reward"
She kissed her hand to him in imita-
ton of the circus ring, and he watched
with admiration as her 1.-THE figure
sped across the open. Then he dropped
through the scuttle.
"Bull luck, / suppose" laughed the
manager when Danvers reported the
next morning.
"Just that" assented Danvers," bull
auckland woman"
But he would not explain the latter
part, and the manager imagined it to
be the girl he married on the strength
of his incraa nav