The Washington herald., 1908-06-24


ernor's" light buggy. marked out the way
At the crossroads the light turned sharp
ly TO the left. and Ben Bogner skillfully
threw his four-horse team around the
corner and the pole wagon ratified and
bumped along the new pike Like the
children OF Israel. Qulntsrd Brothers
colossal circus and mastodon menagerie
followed pillar OF cloud by day and OF
fire by night. In the night time the
swinging lantern was the pilot and in the
daylight the smoke from Gil Quintard's
huge cigar served a similar purpose.
The new road had recently been re-
paired by the simple process Of shoveling
the sides into the middle and letting the
passing wagons beat 1t TO a level. The
heavily loaded wagon lurched from side
10 side. and Ben stopped humming "No
wedding bells" and began 10 curse, not
loudly. but fervently. the road committee
OF Blashford township.
The other wagons. following in close
order. Jared even worse. for -he lighter
loading increased the pitching. and pres
entity from the rear Of the caTryall a
woman slipped out and ran ahead TO
where Bogner was still explaining 10
himself the tortures he would Ike 10 in
fict upon the men who had mussed up
the road.
GIVE NE hand. Ben" she called.
Bogner. without pulling up. leaned over
and held out his hand The girl grasped
+, at the wrist. while his fingers closed
about her slender arm.
Up" She gave a spring and swung
into place beside him on the broad seat
This is the worst this season. o." she said.
with a laugh. as she looked over the road.
now cleaning as red as the eastern sky.
None Of US could sleep in the wagon
so I slipped out 20 ride with you"
why didn't you go to Tony" he ask
ed ungraciousiy. You'll have that dago
knitting me yet"
"Pshaw." she demurred. with an ad-
miring glance at the huge muscles that
showed under the gauze shirt You could
break Tony in two"
''NIebbe," he assented. as he glanced
over his shoulder 10 where Tony AS
pirate. their trapezist and wire walker.
drove the first seat wagon. Every one
worked with the Quintard show Bog
aer was the principal rider and did the
heavy juggling. 10 say nothing Of mag
ical act In the concert. Bessie Setback
also did q riding act and worked with
Tony in the double trapeze. besides doing
4 musical act for the concert. In addi-
ton. the men had 10 help raise the tent
and drive the wagons on the jumps. while
the women performers cooked.
Though he was pleased al the prefer
ence Bessie showed for him, Bogner was
none the less uneasy. He had no inten-
tion Of marrying and he knew that Tony
worshiped the ground the girl walked on.
but Bessie preferred Ben and was not
backward in displaying her choice.
She clung 70 his arm now as they bump
ed over the rough road and drank deep
fresh morning air. Isn't 1t splendid?"
she asked as she looked across the green
fields 20 where the red flush Of the sky
was slowly turning TO gold.
Pretty fair" assented Ben. Down in
his heart he loved the long. quiet nights
and the slow coming dawn. II was one
Of the things that held him 10 a wagon
show when he could have Travelled with
a railroad organization with a sleeper
berth instead of the wagon seat. Looks
Ike it's going 10 be a good day"
Some day I want to come TO a place
like this and live she said with a sigh.
Il want TO have a nice little farm with
chickens and a horse and all that sort Of
thing"
And you'd eat you heart out with lone
someness." he concluded.
You're always spelling things" she
said as she drew away as far as the seat
would permit Il never saw a man like
YOU"
Go TO Tony" he urged. Hes got the
gift OF CAB He can talk as foolish as
you can"
He talks only about himself" she said
with shrug Of the shoulders. Bogner
grinned He knew very we'll that she
would not so. Il wish you had his ap-
probation Of things
Bogner laughed his slow laugh and
handed her his pipe 10 III. 7 guess one
poet is enough with a one-ring circus, &"
he said slowly ''Tonys death on poetry"
He struck a match and held it over the
bowl. putting until the white clouds sur
rounded his head as with halo. "All
the same" he went on. "Tony's a pretty
decent chap, and he's dead gone on you
amt ever goin' to get married"
I'm not coaxing you to-" she said
with a toss OF her head. Il guess I can
get along without either you or Tony"
You don't seem TO be able to get along
without me-" he said, with a chuckle
The girl glanced at his face for a mo-
rnent. and then, without a word, she
leaped 10 the ground. and when the
carryan came past slipped back into that
vehicle. disdaining the invitation shouted
at her by Tony.
Bogner tried to convince himself that
he was glaG that she was gone, but some
how the bright dawn grew gray 20 him.
2nd he puffed moodily at his pipe. He
die not love Bessie. That sort OF thing
was foolishness, but he did enjoy her
companionship in the early morning. and
as the days went by and she came no
more he grew morOse and lowspirited.
Even then he could not diagnose his
trouble and dosed himself with patent
nostrum in the belief that his liver was
out OF order. Bessie was coldly polite
when they met at the table or passed
each other going IN or out Of the ring
but that was all There were no more
little chats while the sun climbed up
from its bed OF night.
/ The awakening came ten days later. II
was Sunday. and after reaching the new