The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-05-05

| INV ~N--T
ashes sick, ddrs aphdt saus.n
lamp, rearranged the cushions and
tried to make the room look CHEEKY
for his entrance.
rs 'fraid yo's mighty tired" she
said.
"Ob, no." answered Douglas absently
"Mebbe yo'd like Mandy to be sarvIn'
your supper in here tonight. It's more
cheerfuler."
He crossed to the window and looked
out upon the circus lot. The fare of
the torches and the red fire came up
to meet his pale, tense face. How
like the picture of thirteen months
ago." he thought, and old Toby's words
came back to him-"The show has got
to go on"
He lOnged to have done with dreams
and speculation. to feel something tan
gible. warm and real within his grasp.
II can't go on like this!" he cried. 81
can't" He turned from the window
and walked hurriedly up and down tho
room. Indoors or out he found no
rest. He threw himself in the arm
chair near the table and sat buried in
thought
Mandy came softly into the room.
She was followed by TASTY, who car
ried tray laden with things that
ought to have tempted any man. She
motIoned for Hasty to put the tray
on the table and then began arranging
the dishes. Hasty stole to the window
and Peeped out at the tempting fare
Of red fire.
When Douglas discovered the pres
ence Of his two "faithfuls" he was
touched with momentary contrltion.
Have you had n hard day with the
new gravel walk?" he asked Hasty,
remembering that he had been laying
fresh path to the Sunday school
room.
"Jes' yo' come cat yo' supper" Man
~ called to Douglas. don yo' worry
your head bout dat lazS husban' OBJ
mine He nin't goin ter work 'nuCf
TO hurt hissclf." For an instant she
had been tempted to let the pastor
know how Hasty had gone to the cir.
Gus and seen nothing Of Polly, but her
motherly Instinct won the day. and
she urged him to eat before disturbing
him with her own anxletles. 1t was
no use. He only toyCd with his food;
he was clearly Ill Mt ease and eager to
he alone. She gave up trying TO tempt
his appetite and began TO lead UP in
a roundabout way to the things which
she wished to ask.
Oars quite some racket out dar In
de lot tonight" she said. DOUGLAS lid
not answer. After moment she went
on, "Hasty didn't work on no walk
today" Douglas looked Mt her quiz
ideally, while uasty, convinced that
for reasons of her own she was going
to get him into trouble was mailing
frantic motions. HE done gone ter de
circus" she blurted ont Douglas face
became suddenly grave. Mandy saw
that she had touched IN open wound.
~ jes' couldn't stan 1t, Massa John.
had ter find out bout dat angel chile"
There was pause. She felt that he
was waiting for her to go on.
"She didn't done ride today"
He looked up with the eyes of
dumb, prosecuted animal. "And de
gemmen in de show didn't tell nobody
why-jes' spcaked bout de udder gal
takn' her place."
"Why didn't she rlde?" cried Doug
! loo IL, IN ounpr, ~ eusNon,n
Oats what l don know, sab"
Mandy began to cry. 1t was the first
time In his experience that Douglas
had ever known her to give way to
any such weakness.
Hasty came down from the window
and tried to put one arm about Man
dy's shoulders.
Leah mc alone, 20 niggerw she ex-
claimed. trying to cover her tears with
show Of anger that she did not feel;
then she rushed from the room, fol.
lowed by Hasty.
The band was playing loudly. The
din of the night performance was
increasing. Douglas nerves were.
strained to the point Of breaking. He
would not let himself go near the win.
dow. BE stood by the side of the ia
ble his fists clinched, and tried to
beat back the impulse that was pulling
him toward the door. Again and again
he set his teeth.
It was uncertainty that gnawed at
him so. Was she I'll? Could she need
him? Was she sorry for having left
him? Would she be glad II he went
for her and brought her back with
him? He recalled the hysterlcal note
In her behavior the day that she went
away-how she had pleaded, only
few moments before Jim, came, never
to be separated from him. Had she
really cared for Jim and for the old
life? Why had she never written?
Was she ashamedi Was she sorry for
what she had done9 What could 1t
meanf BE threw bis hands above his
head with q gesture oE despair A mo
ment later hepassed out into the night.
49, p ~ ll ~ No. ~ ~. ~