Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-24
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he was cornered, and then as he came to a
hap IN the canvas, he drew it aside, and found
sawdust.
The men had seen him come here, so he
| ran on,
be was in the dressing room quarters of the
uttered up with hurdles, barrels, harness and
ehariots, and ran across it, too.
Through break in the canvas he could see
the amphitheatre, crowded with people. He
heard the voices Of the two constables be-
hind him.
Nat ran up a ladder resting against some
ropes. He had no idea where it led to; he
was only desperately seeking to evade his
pursuers
there-see himY spoke gruff voice. Come
down here, Nat Davis. It's no use-were
bound to have you
The speaker placed one foot on the lower
rung of the ladder. With quick movement,
Nat kicked it over.
In doing SO he stepped on a rope drawn
tight across space to the centre pole OF the
main tent
Above it extended network u smaller
ropes. That was the single desperate road
to liberty now.
There were two things Nat Davis could do
better than any. boy in Newton. He could
run like deer he could climb like squirrel
Not for a moment did he hesitate upon the
rash exploit he meditated, but. seizing the
ropes, he darted a defiant look back at the
constables.
He reckoned on going across the thirty
fec. that interviewed between him and the
centre pole.
{ II would take him for moment in full
sight of the audience below, if the people
happened to look up.
Engrossed in the, performance, they prob;
ably would not see him, or if they did, would
make no commotion, believing him to be an
employe adjusting the ropes.
At the centre pole he could reach the cir
eular hole in the canvas. planned the daring
boy, creep through it to the outer air, slide
down the sloping tent, leap from its lower
edge to the ground and flee from the scene
before the constables could make their way
through the audience, or through the dressing
would alight.
Nat grasped bunch of smaller ropes over
head and kept his feet on the larger one.
He passed beyond the canvas screen that
shut out the dressing rooms, over the heads
Of the members of the band, and then glare
OF light dazed him and he could see below
the rings of the circus.
The band was playing. On, cushioned
saddle man in tights was kicking paper
man, on a trapeze, second performer was
executing daring feats
Nat grasped lower tier of ropes, as the
ones he had first clinched ran too far above
his head.
It was an unfortunate movement. They
must have been loosely tied at the centre
POLE for they slipped.
He released them to catch at the rope on
which his feet had rested, missed it, and shot
downward, with startled cry.
Gracious! What's this? Who are you?"
'1-felf-grab-me-o
The words were jolted out of Nat with a
jerk.
Fortunately for him, his cry had reached
the ears of the man on the trapeze, who had
looked up and seized him as he went flying
past.
cry Of curiosity and excitement went up
from the audience. They, did not attribute
the action to accident. They supposed it to
be meditated surprise. and the novelty of
the informal appearance of boy shooting
downward through space in his everyday
clothes attracted them.
s'They think it's in the bills" muttered the
man. "You young rascal, you'n spoil my
act!"
Experienced athletes make it rule to act
quickly and turn unforeseen occurrences to re-
semble design.
The man spoke rapidly.
eff you have any grit in you, see me out
of this" he said. ''Don't try to help me or
yourself Stiffen out!"