Gloucester County Democrat., 1909-06-24
The Lure Of
the Tents.
BY $. b. HAcKLEY.
Copyrighted, 1903, by Associated
Literary Press.

Literary Press. II
Observation-Disclosures. *s.*+*&+*ss'f
"I shall never ask you again, An
nette. Tell me-you absolutely refuse
TO give it up even for-even for met"
Forsythes 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 girl standing on
this April afternoon just outside the
women's dressing tent of the new
Wild West show.
The girl, who wore dark green cor
duroy divided skirt, short white coat
with fringed sleeves, a dark handker-
chief knotted about her soft throat and
cowboys hat on her red-gold hair,
thrust off his hands with her gaunt-
leted ones and gave him a merry look,
underneath which We're defiance and
determination
Bobby Forsythe," she cried, sits
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 outstretch-
ed palm. Then, with gurgling laugh
that might have passed for sob, she
bowed mockingly before him and, lift
ing the tent flap, disappeared within.
1t was Buffalo Bilrs 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
day fearlessly around the arena.
How she could ride-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 spec
tator looking on calm and dignified
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 a fine old South Carroll
ma family, had become known for his
horsemanship on every western ranch.
Reckless Of nature and ready for a
frolic. he had not said NO when be-
sought by the managers Of the new
Wild West show to join 1t.
On the day that he Joined the troupe
"a spring day in Oklahoma first
saw Annette disentangling her skirt
from Cherokee rosebush. With the
courtesy to woman that is the south
erner'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 a
man. but at his home it was like a
crime for girl Of his station to ride
thus for exhibition.
f Was this girl with the glorious beau
ty, with the eyes Of heaven. as public
thing as the armless woman In the
sideshow?
Forsythe clinched his hands. In aft
er weeks he clinched his hands many
times He scorned himself for the
fame 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
loved her. Then for the girl, for whom
since the April day in Oklahoma all
commonplace things had been bathed
in glory, begun 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.
AASA ni-iSAkACAAt FtAC oAO w . ONAC1o,
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 entreaties.
Forsythe grew sick with loathing of
the tent life Every part of the per-
formance disgusted him.
Forsythe overlook her just outside
the dressing tent wild with humiliation
and besought her to marry him that
evening and let him take her home to
South Carolina.
She refused laughingly, but when be
demanded that she stop riding imme-
diately, even though she did not marry
him. his arbitrary tones angered her.
and it ended in broken engagement.
For two months Forsythe gave no