The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-06-12
The Lure OF
the i erlts.
BY S. B. HAcKLEY.
Copyrighted. 1909. by Associated
Literary Press.

nette. Tell me-you absolutely refuse
TO give it up even for-even for me-"
Forsythe's voice trembled ard re-
pressed light burned in his black eyes
as he laid hi: bands. slender. hu, brown
and strong with the strength that three
years of cowboy riding had given, tSl
the shoulders OF u girl standing on
this April afternoon just outside the
women's dressing tent Of the new
Wild West show.
The girl, who wore Il dark green cor
duroy divided skirt. a short white coat
with fringed sleeves. dark hlndker-
chief knorted about her soft throat and
a cowboys hat on her red-sed hair.
thrust off his hands with her gaunt-
leted ones and gave him a merry look.
underneath which were defiance aud
determination.
Bobby Forsythe." she cried. Its
me for the show furcver!'
The young mans dark face turned
crimson.
My ring. please. Annette"'
The girls glowing checks pAled
slightly. but she slipped off her glove
and laid the solitaire in his outStretch-
ed palm. Then. with gurg!iug hugh
that might have passed for sob. she
bowed mocking!y before him and. lift
Ing the tent flap Disappeared within.
1t was Buffalo Eills show |" which
these two belonged. hut il was prct,
ty good Wild West show. and Annette
Lucille Blossom was tho best Cowgirl
rider Of the tw"nty hat dashed twice
a day fearir sly around III" arena
How she could riilr--rvvn better than
the daring youn" wife of one Of the
shows owners no rode with him now
and then for the bcGefit of the public.
Robert ForSythe. the m"St daring
rider of the cowboys, the pride Of tie
troop. always had hated to see the
Blossom riding When he glanced over
the ropes and saw some woman spec.
tator looking on calm and digniticd
and then glanced toward Annette
astride Western Wind. the bay pony
with the black spot on his left shoul-
der. her cheeks brilliant. crying in
mad merriment with the other girl
riders, his heart boiled within him
Forsythe Of fine old South Carroll
ma family, had become known for his
horsemanship on every western ranch.
Reckless Of nature anu ready for
frollc. he had not said No" when be
sough; by the managers OF the new
Wild West show to join It,
On the day that he Joined the troupe
"a spring day in Oklahoma-he first
saw Annette discntangling her skirt
from Cherokee roSebuSh. With the
courtesy to woman that is the south
crner's birthright Forsythe offered to
assist her.
When the thorns were conquered
Annette was no longer heart free. and
Forsythe went back to his quarters
feeling like one who has looked into
paradise and received blow in the
face
That life might be all right for
man. but at his home it was like a
crime for q girl Of bis station to ride
thus for exhibition.
Was this girl With the glorious bean
ty. with the eyes Of heaven. as public
thing as The ;rmlcss woman in the
stdeshow?
F'orsythe cllrched his hands. III af,
er weeks he clinched his hauds many
times He scorned himSelf for the
flame Of admiration that the guileiess
young girl had kindled in his hear,
and for the fact that he could not hOiG
aloof from her
1t was in Winnipeg. when midsum
mer and the show entered Canada to-
gether, that he threw aside pride aud
tradition and told Annette that he
loved her Then for the girl. for whom
since the April day III Ok'ai'ona Mi
commonplace things had been bathcd
In. glory, begun ll!r Il tor,ncn,.
Forsythe began tie EIo!Hcn; his ring
stone on her finger 10 hcsrCch her to
refined woman.
Her kinSInen. the shows owners.
would have r,iyaScd her but the spell
of the circus he'd her. and. secure. as
she Thought. il For&yt!e's love. she
laughed II his ":trcaiiyS.
Forsythe grew sick with lnathing "f
the tent life. Every part OF Ike per
formance disguised him.
Forsythe overlook her just outside
the dressing tent wild with humiliation
and besou:.it her 10 marry him thrt
evening and let him take her bone 70
South Carolina.
She refused lau"llincIy. but when be
demanded that She stop riding imine-
diately. even though she did not marry
him, his arbitrary tones anGrrrd her.
and it ended ~ Il broken engagement.
For two months ForSythe gave no
sign Of wishing to renew bis FREUD
ship W; ;th Annette. but treated iier witd
a formal poltenesS 'hat rendered her
misera BILE.
Il wish he would leave the show, y"
she thought daily. but he remained.
held as by magnet.
In the quadrillc on horseback she
never was his chosen partner aGnin.
and when he had to touch her fingers
in an Interchange Of movements his
face was stern and lnScrutable and
his hands We're like ice.
Annette's friends were not told Of
her broken engagement. but thty no
ttced that her blue eyes were often