The Washington herald., 1913-05-18
CHAPTER XIV.
Near the sky.

according to appointment, before the
Snake Den From her hands she had
removed the color of Italy, and from
her body. the glittering raiment of Ia
Confetti.
Fran came up to the young man
from out the crowded street, all quiv-
ering excitement In contrast with the
pulsing life that ceaselessly changed
her face, as from reflections of dane.
ing light-points, his composure showed
almost grotesque.
Here | am" she painted, shooting
quizzical glance at his face, ARE you
ready for me? Come on, then. and III
show you the very place for US"
Abbott inquired serenely, "Dowr
there in the DEM"
Fran scrutinized him anew, always
wondering how he had taken the lions
What she saw did not alarm her.
Now she returned. mot in the
Den. You're no Daniel. if | am q
Charmer. No dens for u.s."
Nor lion cages." inquired Abbott
still inscrutable; never again."
Never again." came her response
it was a promise.
As they made their way through The
noisy city square" she kept on won
dcring. Since his face revealed moth
ing, his disapproval, at any rate, was
not so great as to be beyond control
Did that signify that he did not fee
enough for her really to care? Bette,
for him to be angry about the show
than not to care.
Fran stopped before the Ferri.
Wheel.
Let's take a ride" she said, a little
TREMENDOUSLY Won't need tickets. Bill
stop the wheel: | want to go right up
This is a friend of mine-Mr. Ashton
And Abbott. this is an older friend
than you-Mr. Bill Smookins."
Mr.. Bill Smookins was an exceed
mgly hard-featured man, of no recog
nizable age Externally, he was blue
overalls and greasy tar
Abbott grasped Bills hand, and in
quired about business.
Awful pore, sense Fran lef tn,
show" was the answer, accompanied
by grin that threatened to cut ths
weatherbeaten face wide open.
Fran beamed. "Mr. Smookins knew
my mother-didn't you, Bill? He wa:
awful good to me when | was kid
Mr.. SmookinS was a Human Nymph If
those days, and ne smoked and talked
he did. right down under the water
remember, Bill? That was sure-enougf
water-oh, he's a sure-enough Bill, le
me tell you"
Bill intimated, as he slowed dowr
the engine, that the rheumatism he haC
acquired under the water, was sure
enough rheumatism-hence his chang,
of occupation. Il was strong enough
to be Human Nynph." he explained
but no endurable. Nobody can las
many years as a Human Nymph."
Abbott indicated his companion
Here's one that1l last my time
The wheel stopped. He and FraI
were barred into a seat.
And now Fran exclaimed, 'it's al
ups and downs, just like moving pic
ture of life. Why don't you say some
thing, Mr.. Ashton? But no, you car
keep still-I'm excited to death, ano
wouldn't hear you, anyway. wan
to do all the talking always do, aft
er I've ben in the cage My brair
is filled with air-so this is the time tc
be soaring up into the sky, isn't it;
What is your brain filled with 2-bu
never mind Well be just two bal
loons-my! aren't you glad We haven
any strings on us-suppose some people
had hold ~, for one, would be will
ing never to 60 down again. Where
are the clouds? Wish we could meet
a few. Down there on the solid earth
oh, down there the first things yor
meet are reasons for things and peo,
pies opinions of how things look, and
reports of what folks say. And ur
here, there's nothing but the moon
isn't it bright! See how I'm trembling
always do, after the lions. Now
Abbott, III leave a small opening fol
just one word.
I'll steady you," said Abbott, brief.
", and he took her hand. She did moi
appear conscious of his protecting
clasp.
Il never see the moon so big" She
went on breathlessly, without thinking
of that night when il rolled along thu
pasture as if it wanted to knock US of
the foot-bridge for being where w
oughtn't | never could understand
why you would stay on that bridge
with perfect stranger when your dut,
was to be usher at the camp-meeting
You wern't ushering me, YOU know
you were holding my hand-I mean,
was holding your hand, as Miss Sap
phira SAYS | shouldn't What poo
helpless man-as I'm holding you now
/ presumed But | laughed in meeting
People ought to go outdoors to smile
and keep their religion in house,
guess. I'm going to tell you why
laughed, for you've never guessed, anc
you've always been afraid to ask
Afraid of you, Franz"
lawfully, I'm going to show you
let go, so | can show you. No, I'm
in earnest-you can have me, after
wards Remember that evangelist
There he stood, waving his hands a.
I'm doing now-moving his arms witt
his eyes fastened upon the congrega
tion-this way-look. Abbott"
Fran! As if were not alread,
looking"
'Look-just so: not saving a word
only waving this way and that.
And it made me think of our Hypno
tizer-the man that waves people int
our biggest tent-he seems to pick EN-
up bodily and carry them in his arms
We'll! And if the people are to b
waved into church, it won't TAX
much of a breszs 20 blow them out