Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-31

me now, Will tell you all. When you know you
may despise me, but you must trust me now.
II will, Nellie-now and always What looks
strange, | know you can account for. Moreover
I shall help you carry your point-you shall see
your friend"
Suiting his actions to his words he hurried her
along the street and pushing aside the crowd
about the tent made way for her to its rear.
There was no one at the door. She stood a mo-
ment irresolute, then advanced.
"Wat for here" she said, laying her hand
Juan's as he was about to follow; and
lifting the curtain she stepped alone into the
waiting room.
"Are the performances ended?" she asked the
servant who lounged at the farther end
about. There are one or two things more.
The clown is singing his last song now"
She listened. Yes 1t was Conrads voice; not
so full and strong 1t used to be, but sweet
and mellow STILL And it was the same song too
she had heard him sing a hundred times. How
vividly 1t all came back-her life of long ago
with these surroundings. She closed her eyes
and the fifteen intervening years gone. Del
mort again circling the saw-dust on his
brdleless steed, while she in gauze and spangles,
lay in Mrs. Conrads lap, awaiting the signal when
she must trip across the arena and be tossed into
his arms. What changes had come since then!
Mrs. Conrad long gone Delnort in drunkard's
grave and she denizen of higher plane stood
(all out of place, she fet) waiting in the green
room for clown!
Presently there was a murmur Of applause
the song was over, and the next minute the clown
was in the room.
He stopped when he saw her, as still If
frozen in his tracks; the exclamation that rose
to his lips was suppressed, and into his eyes
there came the same cold stare with which she
had returned his greeting on the street.
"Oh Conrad, Conrad!" she exclaimed, going
close and seizing his hands, 81 did not know you
i did not know your face voce-but they
came back to me- they came back to me after
you were gone. Would I-could I have refused
to speak to you"
"The Nellie knew would not" he answered
the cold stare fading from his face and the old
time love overspreadng ii.
Her arms were about his neck and she was
kissing the painted brow
"Tt is-it Is the same Nellie" she cried, "the
same Nellie whom you befriended when I so much
needed friends-and you, you are the same Conrad
who gave me love and kindness when was poor
and little and love and kindness meant so much
when they meant so much and there was no
human being to give them mel!
The sweet blue eyes into which he had looked
when she had played about his knees and had
closed with luabies when she weary, were
looking straight into his with all their old time
truthfulness and love.
81 did not know Nellie. People sometimes for
get. thought you had forgotten, and-and it was
hard test to- give you. You have risen so high
and am still $3.50 far beneath you. / couldn't
blame you, little one, couldn't blame you But
it hurt I tried not to mind-but 1t hurt.
Poor harlequin-he had still a heart, and again
his ringed cheeks were scanned with tears.
"You will leave here, you will leave all this
Conrad" she said at length, when her voice was
steady enough for speech. ''You will leave here
you must leave here-soon--and live with me-"
"I don't know, can't tell now. I hope So"
After Nellie had rejoined Julian they were
long while freeing themselves from the crowd that
the closed performance had turned into the streets
When they had accomplished this and had again
reached the shade of the station, Nellie told Julian
all of her past life, withholding nothing not even
her ignorance of her name, all she knew of
childhood where poverty and hardships made
clowns love sweet, and his wife's tenderness
fragrant memory.
ut is just the same to me, darling Julian an
hon har cfnr WAC audo G