Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-10-12

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
fierce desire 20 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,
shuddeTing.
Ci-cling the dressing tent. he came
upon men at work They We're 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 n 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 leaped
off into great distances: the champing
and snorting of horses in the dressing
tent died away as if by magic: the
subdued voices of the men and women
who waited their turn to bound into
the merry ring faded into indistin-
guishable whispers; the crack Of the
ringma ster'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.
A man in motley garb. with a face of
scarlet and white. caught sight of an
arm and hand lying limp under the
edge of the canvas. He stared hard
for a moment. and then, attracted by
the slim, unfamiliar member. arose
and advanced to the spot. AS he stood
there a woman and young girl ap-
preached.
Drunk observed the clown with a
grimace.
The woman spoke "How long and
fine the fingers are A boys hand. not
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. -.
Hes not drunk he said quickly.
HE looks i'll, poor fellow. How wet
he is-and SO muddy. Is he asleep? 1t
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 this
ere town, else he wouldn't be sleepin'
ere in the mud. He's plain pegged
| out, ma'am. Like enough 'e's some
| poor fool as wants to join the circus.
Run away from 'ome, 1 dare say.
| We've 'ad lots of 'em follow US up
lately, you know. Only this 'un looks
different. Shall 1 call Peterson? He'll
wake i'm up right enough and con-
| vince i'm that the show business is a
good thing to stay out of while he cam
Don't call Peterson. He is brute.
Rouse him yourself, and tell him to
come inside the tent. Poor boy, he's
half drowned. Come, dearie,'' to the
girl, Ego into the dressing room. You
must not Sec
He is so white and i'll looking,
mother" said the girl, in plying tones,
her gaze fastened upon the face of the
sleeper. The mother drew the child
aside.
HE may be another Artful Dick, my
| child" ventured the mother. "Your
father says the pickpockets are I'M
commonly numerous this spring.
I'm sure he isn't a thief-Im sure
of it, said the girl eagerly
| She was a pretty, brown haired crea-
/ ture, whose large. serious eyes seemed
unnaturally dark and brilliant against
| the vivid coloring of her cheeks and
/ Al
secrets of the makeup" could have
| told at glance that underneath the
thick layer of powder and paint there
was a soft. white skin. Even the
rough. careless application of harm
| less cosmetics could not in any sense
deceive one as to the delicacy of her
| features. The mouth, red with the
| carmine grease. was gentle. even Tem-
ulous; her nose. though streaked with
| thin, white line. was straight and
1 pure patrician in its modelling. with
! fine, quivering nostrils now gently dis
tended by sharp exercise in the ring.
| Her ears We're small, her throat round
4 and slim. Right proudly her head rode
| the firm, white neck The warm. brown
| hair swept down in caresses for the
bare shoulders \ long. red Shaker
cloak enveloped the slim, straight body.
The mother still was a young wo-
mana pretty one, despite the care
worn expression in her eyes and the
tired lines in her face She was dress