The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-14

lives OF human beings when temptation
overwhelms the soul. Toni, who was
neither a theft nor a liar. became both,
just as Capt Ravenel and Sophie Delorme
had. In one desperate moment, trampled
on the social law.
So Toni, TO whom, in spite of his faults.
deceit was as foreign even as il was to
Paul Nerney. conceived the thought OF
taking franc out of his mothers tin
box. He sneaked back home, along by
lanes and garden walls, and erept in
through The little back door which opened
into the kitchen. His mother was In the
front shop. and did not see him. AS he
stole softly up the narrow stair .nto the
Ssdroom above, the sun was shining
brightly and the clock on the mantel
pointed to half-past one. Toni always re-
membered this as an hour of fate.
The circus performance was 10 begin
at 2 and he barely had time 10 find the
key which his mother kept under the
bureau cover. and to unlock the press in
which she kept her strong box. to find
the key to the strong box hanging up
on nail inside the press. to open II. and
there. In smaller tin box. 10 find many
! pieces OF silver Toni took out a single
franc. He might have taken the whole
/ box. but he never thought OF IT, 1t was
not money he wanted, but a sight of the
circus, he then closed and replaced the
box. made everything as II was before
and, creeping down stairs. rushed off TO
/ the field where the circus tent was up.
/ his heart beating with a wild excitement
which was not joy-neither was it pain.
The performance was almost ready to
begin when Toni handed in his franc with
a trembling hand The place was full;
everybody In BienyiIle seemed 10 be
there, and many persons from the sur
rounding country. but Toni managed TO
/ slip himself between two stout peasant
women with baskets in their laps. and
| eOntrived to see the whole performance
without being seen. He gave himself
up. a la Toni. to the enjoyment OF the
moment putting off until o'clock the
hated interview with his mother and
the still worse one that he must have
with Clery.
But the circus TO him was a sight well
! worth dozen whippings. The view OF
the prancing horses, so wonderfully in
teiligent. the beautiful young ladies' in
gauze and spangles. tina riders in their
satin suits-all were a dream TO Toni
He did not see any OF the grease spots
on the costumes. nor the paint on the
faces Of the lovely young ladies; all was
a foretaste of Paradise. II came to him
IN moment what his real destiny was
10 be circus rider At once
his imagination seized upon t. He
wondered himself that he had managed
to exist so long without the circus. All
that vaulting and Jumping and leaping
that careering around on the backs oil
brave horses, must be heavenly-it could
not possibly be work.
Toni saw himself, in Imagination. one
Of those glorious being. Two things only
did not ct into this picture which he
drew of his future-his mother and little
/ Denise. He could not imagine either Of
! them in the place OF those short-skirted.
/ fiuffy-haired young ladies. with pink silk
stockings and very stout legs,
Just before the end pony was brought
/ out which succeeded in throwing three
clowns so successfully that the audience
was in roars Of laughter. The ring
master challenged any one present below
a certain weight TO come out in the ring
and try TO ride this astonishing pony.
/ Toni. without his own voIition, and
! knowing no more of what he was doing
| than a sleep-walker, wriggled out from
between the two fat peasant women. and
got down in the sanded ring. There was
roaring in his ears and a blur before
his eyes. and he could not have told
how II was that he found himself
| upon the back of the kicking, plung-
ing pony, careering around that daz-
cling circle. All Toni knew was tina,
he was the ponys master. There was nc
shaking him on
Shouts and cheers resounded. each in
| creasing as the pony. still making des-
perate efforts TO get rid OF Toni, sped
around the ring But Toni held on as
firmly and easily as If he had been born
and bred in a riding-school. He had not
the slightest sensation of fear. any more
than on that day so long ago when the
old cavalry horse had run away with
him. The cheers and cries increased as
the pony. realizing that Toni had the
upper hand Of him, came down TO q
steady gallop.
The ring master advanced and cracked
his whip a little and Toni fully expected
the pony to start anew the wild antic:
of the beginning. Instead of that. th'
pony came to a dead halt. which wa;
expected to throw Toni to the ground
but did not He looked up, however
and caught sight of the ring-mastel
standing close to him. He was a fierce
looking man with black eyes like TOMS
The sight of those eyes walked all fh'
cowardice in TOMS nature. He thought
ne should have died of fright while thai
man was looking at him. and theI
It came over him that hundreds Of
eyes were looking az him all thu
time. He slipped of the pony:
back and like hunted creature dashed
toward the nearest opening of the tent
and fed-led homeward. He meant to
Green upstairs and crawl under his little
bed and stay there until his mother came
up stairs, when he would catch heI
around the neck and tell her all about
the franc and ask her. yes. actually ash
her to give him a whipping just TO restore
things to their normal balance. He fell
that he deserved FIVE hundred whippings
AS he raced homeward. he passed
. Clerys shop without looking that way
Suddenly Clery himself darted out, and
seizing him. dragged him through tbs
shop and into a little back room, quite
dark. Clery. who was an honest fellow
meant 20 do Toni the greatest service OF
his life, and said. holding him by the col
lar:
Toni, you are a thief!f
Toni. in whose mind the paradise Of
circus land and the paroxysm of terror
were rioting confusedly, looked dreamils
at Ciery. who looked back sternly at him