The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-11-06

ELAND. FLA, NOV. s. 1912.
Keep step. you rascal" 10 Ton. bad
further carried out the deception.
Tho little lady rides we'll"
A pallid clown. In the PEAKED cap
and basgy pantaIooos Of biz kinA. b.
ean brisk dialogue with The Elngnas-
ter - the hand sud0enly ceased Daay'
inG. and Tom. after bowling to the ~
plause his Efforts had won. turned -
dately toward thA exit
ladies' dressing rooms On The
rieht" came from the ringmastse In
. low voics. - the girl passed him.
wait there until ! an done and ! VIII
see you safely out Of this."
Several female acrobats and aerial
artists eyed Betty curiously - she
came among them. but none seemed
to take her entrance a. anything out
Of the ordinary and no one presumed
to address her. Soon their various
acts demanded them and she was left
alone.
Had Betty Braden been the con6.
dent Betty Of two brief hours ago she
would have ignored the command OF
the ring autocrat and picked her own
way out into the air and home. But
the girl was peculiarly weak. Her
nerves were frayed threads. and the
flush on her creks had given way to
a sick pallor. She fell YEARLY onto .
slim chair Of the camp stool variety
and gave little thought to the mutt
nous Tom. whom a flunky had taken
from her as she came out from the
arena.
Il beg your pardon"
The remark was plainly an effort to
rouse her from her humiliating
thoughts, and, startled, she glanced
up into the face of the handsome
young ringmaster.
It was puzzled blue eyes into which
Betty found herself gazing: wonder
ing eyes blended with great deal Of
admiration and some curiosity.
you are Miss Braden. are you
not?"
Betty flushed. She had not been
silly enough to imagine that she
could keep her identity a secret. but
how did this circus man know herr"
Il am" she agreed stiffly, and
and I wish to 60 home" Pride broke
pathetically with the visit Of the last
words.
And l am here to take you home.
I thought at first. Miss Braden, that
you had originated your novel act to
help US out. and then it gradually
came to me that your horse was per.
forming against your will. He must
have been an old.time circus horse"
Betty was almost on the verge Of
tears.
IL want to 60 home," she re-.
peatedly miserably.
Il will ride with you for distance.
You seem to be utterly done up"
Betty raised protesting eyes.
but you will be needed here?"
%. am at liberty now. was only
on in the turn preceding yours"
"What a shame!" thought Betty, as
the two rode safely through the maze
Of tents and out onto the broad road
leading back into the country, that a
handsome manly fellow like this
should waste his time with a circus"
Betty's opinion Of circuses was not
very high. Why" she meditated, "he
has as much culture and refinement as
any of the young men of our set-and
he is better looking" Flushing, she
shifted from this dangerous trend OF
thought.
Il believe I can continue alone
now" she announced, . trihe coldly
"And thank you very much for your
kind assistance"
"But may I not ride as far as your
homer"
Il think not. We have never met
this is, in the way that the ethics
demand. you know, and"
But we will! I shall have my sis
ter introduce me right away"
Betty stared.
"Your sister? Really"
why, yes. Laura Hedgeton. your
friend, Is my sister. and"
Laura Hedgeton?"
Certainly"
"But how comes 1t that you are
travelling with that circus?"
"Me- travelling with circus!
Why" Suddenly a look Of compre.
hension made narrow the eyes Of the
youth.
my dear. Miss Braden." he protest.
ed. you surely didn't think that I
was an employee Of the circus!"
"But why shouldn't think SOL"
Listen. The show this afternoon
was given for the benefit Of the Bar.
! leyville hosuital. and a number Of W
who live there took active part.
Strange that you didn't hear Of II
before. We rented the whole aggre-
cation outright. And now may we
releEate the conventions for once.