Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1912-10-10
him fugitive for whom $500 would

Tui SIS tOSc 10 HIS Ups, ups tAnt i1tia
never known an oath before. Prayers
and pleadings were forgotten in that
bitter arrangement of fate.
Then came the sudden revival of
youthful spirits. carrying with them
the reckless bravado that all boys pos
sess to the verge OF folly. The band
was playing, the show had begun.
fierce desire 10 brave detection and
boldly enter the charmed pavilion took
possession of him. First he would buy
of the pie mans wares, then he would
calmly present himself before the tick
ct wagon window. after which But
he got no further in his dream of au-
dacity. The placard on the fence
seemed to smite him in the face. He
drew farther back into the darkness,
shudde1ing.
Ci:cling the dressing tent, he came
upon men at work. They were draw
ing stakes with the old fashioned
chains. For awhile he duly watched
them. They passed on. He crept from
his place of hiding and attracted by
the lights us a moth is drawn by the
candle. made his way to the shelter
ed spot at the joining of the tents.
An overpowering sense of lassitude
fell upon him. His eyes closed in alb
rupt surrender to exhaustion. The
rhythmic beat of the Quickstep lcaped
off into great distances: the champing
and snorting of horses in the dressing
tan RI in1 4 ,N
suhduod voices of tho men and women
who waited thcir turn to bound into
the merry ring faded into ndistin-
guishahle whispers: the crack of tho
ringmasters whip and the responsive
yelp Of the clown trailed off into ST
lenre. His head fell back. his body
RELAXED and he slipped off into sweet
unconseiousneSs.
\ man in motley gaIh. with y face of
scarlet aud white caught sight of an
arm and hand tying limp under the
edge Of the canvas. He stared hard
for q moment, and then, attracted by
the slim, unfamiliar member. arose
aael advanced TO the spot. AS he stood
there woman and q young girl APP
preached.
Drnnk, observed the clown with a
grlnace.
The woman spoke. How long and
fine The fingers are. A boys hand. not
a mans. See who is there. Joey. do"
And so it was that the fugitive was
taken
The clown lifted the side wall and
bent over the form of the lad peering
into the white. mud streaked face.
He's not drunk he said quickly.
He looks i'll, poor fellow How wet
he is-and so muddy. Is he asleep? II
isn't-it isn't something else?" She
drew back in sudden dread
He's alive. right enough. say
Mrs. Braddock. there's something queer
about this. He can't belong in thi.
ere town, else he wouldn't be sleepin
ere in the mud. He's plain pegget
out. ma'am. Like enough 'e's some
poor fool as wants to join the circus
Run away from 'ome, / dare say
We've lad lots Of 'em follow us w
lately, you know. Only this 'un look:
different. Shall call Peterson? He!
wake i'm up right enough and con
vince i'm that the show business is {
good thing to stay out Of while he can.
Don't call Peterson. He is brute
Rouse him yourself, and tell him t,
come inside the tent Poor boy, he'
half drowned. Come, dearie,' to til,
girl, go into the dressing room. Yol
must not see"
He is so white and i'll looking
mother" said the girl, in plying tones
her gaze fastened upon the face of Thu
sleeper. The mother drew the chilt
aside
He may be another Artful Dick. nj,
| child" ventured the mother. You
father says the picllpockets are I'm
commonly numerous this spring.
| I'm sure he isn't thief-I'm sur
of it," said the girl eagerly.
She was a pretty, brown haired crea
ture, whose large, serious eyes seemed
unnaturally dark and brilliant agains
| the vivid coloring Of her cheeks an,
forehead One who understood tn
secrets of the makeup could hav
told ut n glance that underneath til
thick layer of powder and paint tier
! was Il soft. white skin. Even til
1 rough. careless application of harm
| less cosmetics could not in any sens
! deceive one as to the delicacy of he
/ features The mouth. red with til
carmine grease, was gentle. even tren
| ulous: her nose. though .streaked wit
thin. white line. was straight am
pure patrician in it's modelling. wit
fine. quivering nostrils. now gently dis
! tended by sharp exercise in the rins
| Her ears We're small. her throat roun
| and slim. Right proudly her head rod
4 the firm, white neck The warm. brow
hair swept down in caresscs for tn
bare shoulders. A long. red Shake
cloak enveloped the slim. straight bod!
The mother still was young W.
mana pretty one. despite the care
worn expression in her eyes and til
tired lines in her face. She was dres.
ed in the ordinary garments of til
street. in no way suggestive Of the eli
Gus. There was an unmistakable al
of gentle breeding about her. Datier