Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-11-09

ed to take his arm the tall man coIdIy
withdrew himself from the contact.
Braddock permitted the other to pass
through the sidewall ahead of him,
step or two behind the unhappy Mary
Braddock-
David hurried to a rent in the canvas
and peered out into the sunlight of the
waning day. The stranger had come
up beside Mrs. Braddock, talking to
her as they crossed the lot in the direc-
ton of the street She apparently paid
no heed to his remarks Braddock
Ioafed behind
SO he's ere again, is hep
David whirled to find Grinaldi peer
ing over his shoulder, his erstwhile
merry face as black as a thundercloud-
no is hep demanded David.
The clowns eyes We're glittering. He
stared long ut David before replying
That MANI he said harshly That's
Colonel Bob Grand"
What has he got to do with the
show, Mr.. Noakes?'
Call me Joey. Everybody does. my
lad" He looked around cautiously.
No one was near them. Nevertheless
he lowered his voice. That's just wot
all of us would like to know ourselves.
Jacky. He's a race horse man and a
gambler. oh, don't you get 1t Into
your 'ead that he follows the show In
them capacities. Not he. He's too
big guy for that No, Stree. He
pinches the dollars by the thousands,
that chap does. No ten dollar rube
games for i'm. But I'll tell you all
about i'm at supper. There's Ruby
waiting for us at the door. I'm 'aving
supper brought over ERE for us three
and Casey"
Ruby Noakes, very pretty and quite
demure in simple frock of brown.
without the prevailing hustle and
panniers, was directing the contortion-
ist in his efforts to construct table
out of three "blue seats" and a couple
of property trunks or ''keesters," as
they were called
Presently the food came In from the
cook tent. The four sat down, David
beside the girl. In the menagerie tent
beyond wild beasts were growing and
roaring and snarling weird interlude
for the benefit of the banqueters.
sounds so strange and menacing that
David looked often with uneasy inter
est In the direction from which they
came.
Say. Casey, ave you seen 1mf' ask
ed Joey at last
"Seen who2'
Grand"
as that skunk here againf"
big as life, dang is bloody cart
He's bothering 'er too. Makes love to
'er right afore 'er husbands eyes It's
its outrageous"
Miss Noakes forgot her story and her
resentment She leaned forward, her
black eyes fairly swapping, her fingers
clinched.
81 knew something awful was going
to happen" she said 81 saw a cross
eyed man In the blues today. 1t never
falls
Circus people, from the beginning of
history. have been superstitious. Not
one. but all of them. carry charms.
amulets or lucky pieces, and they rec
ognize more signs than the sailors
themselves.
"Some of these fine days I'm going
to paste that guy on the nose," said
the contortionist.
you'll get bullet in your gizzard
IL you do" said the clown gloomily.
He carries a gun and he'll use 1t too.
And If he didn't Tom Braddock would
beat you to Jelly for insultin is best
friend"
do you mean that Mrs. Braddock is
in love with that MANI" demanded
David, his heart sinking.
The three of them glared at him
positively glared.
Nobody said that, SIR" said old Joey
angrily. "She despises I'm. 1 said as
'ow he was in love with 'er. There's
a big difference in that. my friend"
ST knew she wasn't that kind of
woman" cried David joyously.
what do you know about womenr'
demanded Casey.
''Tll tell you about I'm and FER and
all of them" said Joey, looking about
to see that they were quite alone in