The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-26
THE EVENING STORY
The Lure of the Tents.
(By S. B. Hackley.)

(By S. B. Hackley.)
II shall never ask you again. An
nette. Tell me-you absolutely refuse
to give 1t up, even for-cven for meg
Forsythe's voice trembled and re-
pressed light burned in his black eyes,
as he laid his hands, slender, but
brown and strong, with the strength
that three years of cowboy riding had
given. on the shoulders of a girl stand
ing. on this April afternoon. just out
side the women's dressing tent OF the
new Wild West show.
The girl, who wore a dark green
corduroy divided skirt, q short white
coat with fringed sleeves, a dark
handkerchief knotted about her soft
throat, and a cowboys hat on her red
gold hair, thrust off his hands with
her gauntleted ones. and gave him a
merry look, underneath which was de-
fiance and determination.
Bobby Forsythe." she cried, "it's
me for the show forever"
The young mans dark face turned
crimson.
my ring, please, Annette."
The girls glowing cheeks paled
slightly. but she slipped off her glove
and laid the solitaire in his out
laugh that might have passed for
sob. she bowed mockingly before him.
and lifting the tent flap. disappeared
within.
1t was Buffalo Bills show to which
these two belonged, but it was a pref
.ty good wild west show, and Annette
Lucille Blossom was the best Cowgirl
rider of the twenty that dashed twice
a day fear1essly around the arena
How she could ridei Even better than
the daring young wife of one of the
shows owners, who rode with him
now and then for the benefit of the
public.
Robert Forsythe. the most daring
rider of the cowboys. the pride of the
troop, always had hated to see the
Blossom riding When he glanced
over the ropes and saw some woman
spectator looking on, calm and digni-
fled, and then glanced toward An
nette, astride Western Wind. the bay
pony with the black spot on his left
shoulder, her cheeks brilliant, crying
in mad merriment with the other
girl riders, his heart boiled within
him.
Forsythe, of a fine, old South Caro-
lima family. had become known for
his horsemanship on every western
ranch Reckless Of nature. and ready
for q frolic, he had not said no when
the managers of the new Wild West
show besought him to join them.
On the day that he joined the
troupe. spring day in Oklahoma
he first saw Annette disentangling her
skirt from a Cherokee rose hush. With
the courtesy to woman that is the
Southerner's birthright, Forsythe Of
fered to assist her.
When the thorns were conquered,
Annette was no longer heartfree, and
Forsythe went back to his quarters
feeling like one who has looked into
Paradise and received a blow in the
face.
That life might be all right for a
man, but at his home 1t were like a
crime for girl of his station to ride
thus for eyhihition
Was this girl with the glorious
beauty, with the eyes of heaven, as
public a thing as the armless woman
in the sideshow?'
Forsythe clenched his hands. In af-
ter weeks he clenched his hands many
times. He scorned himself for the
flame of admiration that the guileless
young girl had kindled in his heart,
and for the fact that he could not
hold aloof from her.
1t was in Winnipeg, when midsum-
mer and the show entered Canada to-
gether, that he threw aside pride and
tradition and told Annette that he low
ed her. Then for the girl, for whom.
since the April day in Oklahoma. all
commonplace things had been bathed
in glory, begun a life of torment.
Forsythe began, the moment his
ring shone on her finger, to beseech
her to leave the show, as no fit place
for a refined woman.
Her kinsmen, the shows owners.
would have released her, but the spell
of the circus held her, and secure, as
she thought, in Forsythe's love, she
laughed at his entreatfes.
Forsythe grew sick with loathing of
the tent life. Every part of the per-
Torrance disguised him.
1t was in Kentucky that the climax
came, after an afternoons perform
ance when Forsythe overheard two
young dudes commenting on Annette's
beauty and skill, each claiming her as
his own.
the dressing tent. wild with humilia-
ton, and he sought her to marry him
| that evening, and let him take her
home to South Carolina.
| She refused laughingly, but when he
demanded that she stop riding imme-
dfately, even though she did not mar
ry him, his arbitrary tones angered
her and it ended in a broken engage
ment.
| For two months Forsythe gave nc
sign of wishing to renew his friendship
with Annette, but treated her with q
formal politeness that rendered her
| miserable.
"I wish he would leave the showi'
she thought daily. but he remained
held as by magnet.
! In the quadrille on horseback she
never was his chosen partner again
and when he had to touch her fin
gers in an interchange of movements
| his face was stern and inscrutable and
| his hands were like ice
Annette's friends were not told o,
| her broken engagement, but they no.
| ticed that her blue eyes were otter
| dark circled, and that, in riding, she
| rode fastest and most wildly of all
| At last they arrived in South Texas
Hurrying toward Mexico, the show
| stopped at the small towns only. There
| came night of terrific rainthat soak.
ed the ground until 1t was dangerous
| for riding. but an exhibition was hold
whatever the weather, so 2 O'Clock il
| its height.
| The parade around the ring wal
| over-the broncho busters Indians
| Mexicans, cowgirls and cowboys, Cos.
| sacks-all had passed in review The
| stage hOtd-un and the indian 6opo<