Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1912-10-17
In tho Dressing Tent.

"HE clown Grinaldi had shaken
the boy Into partial wakeful-
ness.
Get up" said Grtnaldi.
what are you doing here?"
The lad would have rushed away
into the darkness behind him had it
not been for the restraining grip on
his arm. He felt himself being drag
ged into the stuffy, mysterious vesh-
bule Of the tent, into plain view Of
half dozen wildly attired persons, al
most under the feet Of stolid, gayly
caparisoned horses wearing the great
back pads.
He was not dreaming-he was in
the dressing tent Of the circus, envel-
oped by the dull, magic atmosphere
that comes In the smoke of burning
oils, an atmosphere that is never to
be found outside the low walls Of q
dressing tent.
His bewtldered gaze took in the
horses, the boxes, the trunks. the ring
paraphernalia, the properties" the
discarded uniforms of attendants, cast
in apparent confusion here, there and
everywhere. Somehow as he stared
this conglomerate mass of unfamiliar
things seemed to creep away into the
black shadows he had not perceived
before. The drab dome of the tent
began to swirl above his head like
merry-go-round. The lights danced
and then went out.
Grinaldi, the clown. caught him in his
arms as he slipped forward in faint
When he regained consciousness he
was lying on thick. dusty mattress,
his head pillowed on bundle Of cloth
that smelled of cotton and dyestuffs
Faces emerged from the gloom around
him. Some one was holding torch
over his strange couch. He tried to
raise himself to his elbow. Some one
supported him from behind. AS he
turned his head to thank this person
it was with difficulty that he repressed
Il cry of alarm. The being who braced
him with friendly arms was glitter
ing, shiny thing Of green with a hui
man face that leered upon him.
Grinaldi laughed.
Hes not boa constructor, lad
He's the homeless wonder He's as
gentle as q spring lamb and not arr
as tough. Signor Anaconda, the hui
man snake-that's wot he's called on
the bills. Ed Casey's is real name"
"Aw. cheese 1t, Joey!' growled the
nlniable signor. "Say, young Teller,
what's ailirg you? Where'd you come
from?"
The stranger In this curious world
faced his audience, sudden wariness
in his eyes. Before venturing a word
Of explanation, he allowed his gaze to
sweep the entire group. There were
men in tights and women in tights
i'll pink and red and green and blue
some of them still painting and breath
less after their perilous work in the
ring. He took them all in at a glance,
but his eyes rested at last on the one
figure that seemed out of place in this
motley crowd; the tall, graceful figure
Of the woman in street clothes. He
looked long at the sweet, gentle, I'M
painted face of this woman and drew
his first deep breath of relief and hope
when she smiled. She moved quickly
through the crowd of acrobats and rid
ers. followed close behind by the slim,
wide eyed girl in the long red cloak.
What has happened?" asked the tall
woman gently. Have you--have you
run away from home, my boy?"
How long have been here?" There
was Il suggestion of alarm in the alb
rupt question.
His voice, querulous through excite
menf, was quite strong and musical.
The tone and his manner of addressing
the questioner proved beyond contra
dlctlon that he was no ordinary tramp,
or show follower such as they were in
the habit of seeing in their travels \
dozen fine old Virginia gentlemen. per-
haps, one after another, had lived and
died before him; down that precious
line ofsblood had come Gle strain that
makes for the finished thoroughbred
the real Virginia aristocrat
"You tainted ten minutes ago. Are
you feeling better now? Give him some
brandy, one of you. How wet you are.
You must have come far
He watched her face all the time she
was speaking. No sign of trust or con-
fdence came into his own as the result
of her kindliness. Instead. the wari-
ness grew.
Only across the mountain he said
succintly. I've been out in the rain.
lna'anl'' he vouchsafed
He had never been SO clo.e to men
and women in tights beNre. The
fluffy. abbreviated tarlntan skirts of
two women bareback riders who stood
not more than two yards away seemed