The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1914-12-03
DAhCIhG FEET
By MARTHA M'cuLLocH.
WILLIAMS.

Commonly one meant the other
when Edith Norrys let herself 20
trouble came of it.
do you-happen-to know-on,
Baldwin," she asked. the gaps be
tween words showing how she wa,
fighting with herself.
y know two Baldwins-Dab ane
Pony. Which is it you're out te
scalp?" Lester answered.
He caught gasp-then: Two!
Impossible! There isn't loathsome
ness in the world to make two. Come
over right away. and let me convince
you'll feel like saying things no lady.
like telephone ought to carry
Lester ran seven-eighths of the
mile between, but sauntered up to the
back piazza as though life held no
such thing as haste.
Its about Merrilee, of course"
Edith began. why did Fate curse her
with that name besides giving her
feet that dance in spite of herr"
i am not Fate" Lester said re-
sentfuIly, as though she accused him.
Lao WIS tHC nAiic lWiuhlluS uuueI
downcast lids
Edith made face at him. Nor
much of anything else, I fear" she
said with little toss. "Merrilee went
to the Street Fair yesterday let
her. Her people were all going and
so wild over it, it seemed cruel to
keep her at home"
Right" Lester interjected.
She ran on unheedingly Il thought
1t was so safe-her mother and three
big brothers, to say nothing of the
rest.
But the chilluns, as she calls
them, took all the eyes Nam had to
spare from the wonders of town-the
boys got to pitching horse shoes, and
eating watermelon against each other.
Merrilee says she lost herself 'mongst
SO many folks-that Baldwin-thing
found her-then what do you think
happened?"
"Tell me. Riddles bore me-" Les
ter said grinning.
Edith glared at him. "Took her
into the public dance tent" she said
BY and by all the rest stopped to
watch her. hen hei shoes hurt her
he made her slip them off and dance
there before all that crowd, in just
her petticoat-her slip rather, one I'd
given her-pale blue lawn Then he
threw money at her, silver dollar!
That started all the rest-she was
pelted with it--dimes, quarters, one
gold piece even"
Good for Pony! 1t must have been
Pony; Dab is the tight wad," Lester
interrupted laughing.
Again Edith glared. wait! The
worst is to come" she said "The
man who flung the gold is an outsider
came with one of the attractions
those foolish town folk will bring in
for the fair. He got at Merrilee; got
at her people, too The result is they
are ready to murder me because / !
won't let the child go on with this
an added attraction to
his side show. Think! She's only
'ixteen can keep her two years
onger-till she's eighteen, thanks to
goodness. / hesitated to have her
pound to me legally. Now I'm ever
10 glad of having had it done"
Better let her CO." Lester began,
straight to destruction" Edith fared.
He shook his head, saying, No"
To the fulfillment Oh her destiny.
Here's her chance. To us it looks
even hazardous-but it
nay never come again"
Il will" Edith said slowly. "Mer-
lice shall have her chance. But
ont ask me not to hate that Bald
Tin thing"
Times whirligig does, indeed, bring
TRANCE revenges. Two years later
1rs. Joseph Lester, born Norrys, sat
eside her husband leaning forward
yer the box front, intent to miss no
lythm nor cadence of the dancer who !
cid big audience spellbound Merry }
Torn she called herself. i,
"There's-a great MARVEL" Lester
lid, nodding toward a man below, ;
he beyond the middle age, rough cast, 8
,ughly clothed, yet radiating rugged
,wer Nothing else would ever have ,
avn Al Jenny from the Coye
,pe his coming means no mischief" ;
For a second Merrilee was abso-
tely still, bathed in rosy light that
We her the seeming of flower poised !,
r swaying upon slender stem. .
owly, slowly she dropped until her
ad almost touched the floor, came q
ok with sidelong unfolding sway, I
d broke into pattering fairy steps Q
though treading bending grasses. 2
st, faster faster, she moved, slid G
to weaving and swaying, flung up =
ms, then bending forward called h
icelessly through cupped hands. The '
use rang with applause, but across
2 tumult of it came keen musical y
rilling: LII gal, III gal, I'm y
min"
With the cry a rough-cast giant n
rtled himself over the footlights, r
light Merry Morn in his arms, and
her high upon his shoulder, She I,
yer danced again, except with the n
Ids, the grass and the fairies. And =,