The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-09-04
planned Toby. I'VE live over there on

pAsAiieu AooS. W. live Over there on
Grove street"
Over there" was indicated by n
semicircu!ar sweep of the arm, and
the big man pulled out a watch from
the coat he had resumed.
"You want to come with us If your
mother viii let your" he asked.
Toby's face fell.
"She won't" he said dolefully. "She
hates cirruses. She's going to whip
me when l get home. She made me
promise moi 10 come. not even to look
at the parade"
Hes a circus boy. all right, Ted"
laughed one Of the other men. "She
knew that if he hit the tents it would
all come back to him. and 1t has. He
worked like a veteran. He'd make a
great top. mounter."
Hes going to make One." announced
Ted. "Tm goln' to see his mother. I
don't know what crouch she's got
against us show folks. but I'll talk
her out of It. Come. hid"
He held out a hand to Toby, and to-
gether they left the tent. Ted stopped
to speak to a man In the dressing tent,
and then they struck out across lots
for the tiny little home where for the
last four years Rena Atkins had
sought to support herself and her sOn
by millinery and dressmaking. She
was on the steps now peering up and
down the street. hoping against hope
that Toby would come. But at the
sight Of the man with him she shrank
into the house, though not before the
stranger had caught sight of her and
had gone bounding forward.
When Toby's shorter legs had COM
passed the distance he found his moth
or in the strangers arms striving to
fight him off. Toby v~aliantly came to
the rescue with feet and fists. but the
big man seemed scarcely to notice the
attack.
"1've found you at last" he was say
ing. "Why did you run away, dear?"
"You ask me that?" Her voice was
quiet now and tense with scorn. LET
me go and l will show you"
His arms dropped to his side, and she
slipped across the oom to where her
pocketbook lay. Silently she offered a
slip Of paper frayed with handling and
yellowed with age.
"You believed this?" asked the man.
"You really thought I had eloped with
Clara Grey? We left the same night
because Griffith was doing VI out Of
u salaries. Her husband. Jim Grey.
was playing with Coles circus, and she
Joined him. played Il couple Of houses
for expense money to get hack home
with. I wrote. but the letter was there
at the boarding house when I arrived.
They told me you had gone. Griffith
put that lying notice in the paper to
hide the real reason for u leaving. his
own dishonesty"
"And I believed it." she sobbed, "and
I've been trying to hide yer since to
keep the hey from being like his ia
ther."
ats in the blood the big mar said
tende.ly. Why. the kiddie came into
the big top and saw us working on the
mat, and he went at 1t like he used to
in the oil days. l never guessed that
he was my child. l only saw what Il
great top mOunter he would make, and
! came to see If You would apprentice
him to rs. l never hoped to ind Il
wife and little sou where l was look
Ing for Il topper"
"You-you forgive me-" she faltered.
"You We're just a foolish little child
to run away before you found out the
truth he said, with a tender laugh.
"It's all the more reasO You should
have Il husband to look after you, and
l know that Toby wants a father"
"You bet l do" put in Toby. at last
finding something he could understand.
Are you my dad"
II am that" said the big man as he
Rugged Toby to his breast. And you're
q true chip Of the old block. Why,
faddie, I taught you these tricks you
showed us this afternoon. 1t all zane
out when you saw a ring again."
I'm glad I broke my promise" said
Toby complacently, "even II am
whipped for it."
But the whipping was deferred in
definitely.