Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-31
From Off the Sawdust.
PART II.
Continued from page z.

=. ones descended in an excursion coach to the low
lands. On reaching the town they found 1t
thronged with the motley mass an expected circus
Z. always brings This rustic throng, with their
rustic customs, was a novel spectacle to Julian,
shut not to Nellie in whose mind still lodged some
memories of the sawdust.
little isolated from their party, together they
wandered down the main street OF the village,
sJulian merry over the spectacle but Nellie mirth-
less and silent. The glimpse it brought OF the
far off days when she herself was part OF a
spageant depressed her and drove all pleasantly
from her life.
,. In front of them she noticed handsome, we'll
dressed man, as sharp contrast to the surround
ling throng as an exotic to field of sedge. She
fsgave him little thought, or II any, concluded he
slike they, had come in on the excursion coach
and was simply looker-on That he himself was
sin any way connected with the show never once
occurred to her. Presently In their wanderings
through the crowd she found herself facing him.
sflooking directly In his eyes pleased look OF
recognition leaped into his. smiles covered his
( face, and he extended both hands.
"Nellie!" he exclaimed-'it Is Nellie!"
There was no responsive joy on her countenance
= no recognition in her eyes.
"You mistake me for friend" she said with the
stiffness she thought necessary to accompany
such denial.
"And-you are not my friend" He laughed
but the laugh mirthless, and over his face
swept flush not of anger but of pain and dis
appointment.
"Yes-yes I have made mistake, see You
will grant pardon. Yes-I have made mis-
take" His voice was low and as full Of sadness
as his face. He turned back into the crowd and
was lost
"who on earth can that be-" laughed Mr.. Lock
land swho positive of your acquaint
lancer"
'I have no idea," responded Nellie 81 certainly
him before. I hated to refuse the hand
she was evidently so honest in extending. Some
other Nellie somewhere in the world looks much
like me, you see I am not such rare specimen
1as you would make me believe myself" This
she said with the first laugh that had come to
her lips that day.
!, "Ah WELL" young Lockland replied, 81 have not
seen that other Nellie yet. shall still content
myself with this one that I know"
"That you knosos Are you sure you know that
I'm not who, what you think me-that am
masquerading, actress acting my role?"
= "Well should not believe you, that is all. Shall
we go to the circus this afternoon"
mo, no. a thousand times no." was her quick
reply.
""The heat and the dust and the plebeians?"
asked Julian.
mot that not that" she answered promptly Il
could stand the heat, the dust and the plebeians
but-we will not go to the circus. We will sit
,here in the shade instead" and followed by him
she turned in to the little garden in front of the
station in which rustic chairs and benches
stood invitingly the street
But Nellie was not herself; the burden of the
conversation rested altogether on Julian. In per-
feet silence she sat, making no answer even to his
questions. In fact she did not listenher thoughts
were far away and through them that pained
flushed face kept coming back and the surprised
glad tone quickly succeeded by the humber one
sof apology kept ringing in her ears.
"Am l to be haunted by people as well as
places?" she mused Whose face, whose face
scoud that have been?"
at was Conrads!" she exclaimed at last, laying
her hand on Julian's That was Conrad
swho spoke to me, Conrad! Come, go with me to
the circus!"
Conrad! What do you mean, Nellie? And
othe circus? You have just refused the circus"
II know, know but must go there now. l
must go at once"