The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-15
CHAPTER K.
Copyright lSG.
! D. Appleton 4 Co


himself one day at the little town OF
Beaupre. In the valley of the Seine. where
the circus was performing. for Toni had
remained with it all that time. Besuti-
ful young ladies in spangles had come
and gone, demi-gods In red satin with
white sashes had done the same. Toni
himself was a demigod IN red satin and
a white SASH and was the crack rider of
the circus. He had a large headline OF
letters a foot high all to himself-M.
Louis d'Argsns he was called on the bill
boards, although everybody about the
circus called him Toni Toni was then
twenty years old and at least twenty
years wiser than he had been seven years
before. One does not spend seven years
in the circus without learning many
things He learned all the immense
weaknesses as well as the immense vir-
half OF humanity.
But. ike most demi-gods, Toni was
not happy Perhaps it was a part of the
general quarrel which every human being
has with fate But Toni's principal quar-
rel was that he was haunted with fears
Of all sorts. This madcap fellow, this
daring bareback rider, this eentaur OF a
man, to whom nothing IN the shape Of
hOrseflesh could cause the slightest
tremor. who could ride four horses at
once. and could do a great many other
things requiring vast physical courage.
GOODNESS, and resolution, was, morally, as
great a coward as he had been IN the
old days when he ran away from ali
the boys in Bienviile, except Paul Yer
ney, and ran away from home rather
than face his mother after having taken
a single franc. Re was mortally afraid
OF a number OF persons; OF Clery. the
tailor in far-off BienvilIe, for fear he
might set the police on him; OF Nicolas.
who had the upper hand Of him COM
pietely, and Of friend OF Nicolas,
Pierre by name, who was the most com
plete scoundrel unhung except Nicolas
himself. Both OF these two men Toni
could have whipped with one hand tied
behind his back. for he was unusually
muscular. and. though somewhat short.
a perfect athlete HIS two scampish
friends. Nicolas and Pierre. were wretch
ed objects physically, such as men be-
come who are born and bred IN the slums,
who have behind them a half-starved
ancestry going back 500 years. and who
are on intimate terms with the devil. For
circus rider may practice every one of
the seven deadly sins with perfect i'm
punity except one, that of drunkenness.
A circus rider must be sober.
They had drawn Toni into many
scrape, but here again TOMS strange
cowardice had saved him from taking an
actual part in any wrong-doing. He
watched out for Nicolas and Pierre. at
their bidding, he knew OF their wrong
doing. where they kept their stolen gains.
how they cheated the manager. how they
abused the women But Toni himself,
although the associate OF two such
rogues and rascals. and in many ways
their blind tool. had kept himself per-
fectly free from the commission OF any
crime OF misdemeanor. His heart re-
manned good-poor Toni
He still hankered, mother-slck. for
Nine. Marcel. Once every year since he
had run away he had written 20 her as
we'll as he could. for TOMS literary ac-
complishments were very meager, a letter
all tear-stained. telling her he MAS well
and trying 10 behave himself, and he
hoped she did not have rheumatism In
her knees and that he was sorry for hav-
ing stolen the franc. He even sent her
a little money once year. which Nine.
Marcel did not need, but which Toni did,
and in these letters he always sent his
love 70 Denise. but he never gave his ad-
dress nor any clew 10 his employment
He was afraid TO give any address for
her to answer bis letter. and so did not
really know whether his mother were
alive or dead
His heart stiIl yearned increasingly aft
er Paul Verney, the friend OF his boy
hood; and none Of the young ladies in
tights and spangles had been able to put
out Of hts mind little Denise In her blue
checkered apron. and her plat OF yellow
hair hanging down her back, and her
downeast eyes and her sweet way OF