The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1912-10-12

him fugitive for whom $500 would
be paid, dead or alive.
Curses rose to his lips. lips that had
never known an oath before. Prayers
and pleadings were forgotten In that
bitter arraignment 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. A
fierce desire to 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 darkpess,
| sbudde:ng.
Circllng the dressing tent. he came
upon men Mt 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 as moth is drawn 10y the
candle. made his way TO the shelter.
cd spot ut the joining 'of the tents.
An overpowering sense of lassitude
fell.upon him. His eyes closed in ab
rupt surrender Ia exhaustion. The
Rhythmic beat Of the qiiickstep leaped
off into great distances: the champinc
and snorting of Eorses in the dressing
tent died away MS If 10y magic; the
subdued voices Of tho men and women
who waited their tnrn to bound into
the merry ring faded into ndiStinr
guishahle whispers; the crack of the
ringmaster's whip and the responsive
yelp Of the clown trailed off into ST.
lence. His head fell back. his body
relaxed and he slipped off into sweet
Inconsistencies.
4 man in motley garh. with face of
scarlet and white. caught sight Of M
edge Of the canvas. He stared hard
for moment and then. attracted Ivy
the slim. unfamiliar member. arose
and advanced to the spot As hc stood
there u woman and n young girl ap-
preached
"pruuk," observed the clown with n
grimace.
The woman spoke. How long anil
fine Tho fingers are \ hoy's hand. not
n mans. Soc who is there. Joey. do"
And so il was that the fugitive was
taken.
The clown lifted the side wall and
bent over the form Of the lad pcering
into the white, mud strcaked fncc.
Hes not drunk he said quickly.
"Hc looks i'll. poor fellow How wet
he is--and so muddy. Is he asleep? 1t
isn't---it isn't something eIsc;" She
drew back in sudden dread
Hes alive, right enough. say
Mrs. Braddock, there's something queer
about this. He can't holong in This
ere town. else he wouldn't be slccpin
ere in the mud Hes plain pegged
out. ma'am. Like enough 'c's some
poor fool as wants TO join the circus
Run away from ONE. | dare say
We've 'ad lots of 'em follow us ~
lately. you know. Only this I'm looks
different. Shall I call Peterson? HeI
wake i'm up right enough and con
vince i'm that the show business is Z
good thing TO stay out Of while he can.
Don't call Peterson. He is a brute
Rouse him yourself. and tell him t.
come Inside the tent. Poor boy. he.
half drowned. Come, dearie." to tho
girl. go into the dressing room. Yor
must not see
"He is so white and Ill looking
mother" said the girl, in plying tones
her gaze fastened upon the face Of tn,
sleeper. The mother drew the child
aside.
"IIe may he another Artful Dick, my
child" ventured the mother "Youl
father says the pickpockets are un
commonly numerous this spring.
I'm sure he is6t thief-Im sure
Of It," said the rNeagerly. =
she was pretty. brown haired crea
ture whose large, serious eyes seemed
unnaturally dark and brilliant against
the vivid coloring Of her cheeks ant
forehead. One who understood the
secrets Of the makeup" could have
told at a glance that underneath the
thick layer Of powder and paint there
was soft. white skin. Even the
rough. careless application Of harm
less cosmetics could not in any sense
deceive one as to the delicacy Of bel
features. The mouth. red with the
carmine grease, was gentle. even trem
ulous: her nose. though streaked with
a thin. white line, was straight and
pure patrician in Its modelling, with
fine. quvering nostrils. now gently dis
tended by sharp exercise in the ring
Her ears were small. her throat round
and slim. Right proudly her head rode
the firm. white neck. The warm. brown
hair swept down in caresses for tn,
bare shoulders. \ long, red Shaker
! cloak cnvcloped tho slim, straight body
The mother still was young wo
mana pretty one. despite the care
worn expression in her eyes and tn,
! tired lines in her face. She was dress
| ed in the ordinary garments Of tn
street In no way suggestive OF the cir
Gus. There was an unmistakable al
Of gentle breeding about her. patien