The Tomahawk., 1919-11-13

allowed her mistress to al1ght. The
fence was an easy vault for the white
horse, and it whinnied with pieasurs
at the feeling Of soft turf ard green
grass under it's hoofs. Mona cried ou,
with pleasure, to,. The same old
brook, the same old wild flower
pBtchc- the same old shady nook
There she stopped, and gathering up
the reins of her mount rested her head
on the side Of the handsome Joan.
"You heard it all, little flowers and
little BROOK" she whispered. "Y0u were
all here when we quarreled. 1t was
just such day as this. wasn't it? You
remember how angry he became, how
persistent was. 4 am going to be q
circus rider-I am going to be like my
mother l told him while he fretted
and fumed. He said what a horrible
life it was; he said it would mean the
end Of everything between us-that II
I loved him I would not lower myself
to go into such work-that is just
what he said, wasn't it? And l told
him didn't love him, I hated him if
he talked like that, and I thought 1
did. But I didn't, little flowers. i
didn't, little brook. loved him, oh, so
lnuch!"
"And he loved you, oh, so much!"
- Mona became rigid. Had the brook
answered in his voice? Were her ears
deceiving her? Had her nerves got the
best of her or could it be-could it be
was Roger there, standing right be-
hind her? Roger was-but such
changed Roger, taller, more handsome
by far, but with the same old smile.
the same twinkle in his eye. Sho gazed
at him for more than a minute, her
heart throbbed violently. AS In
dream his arms opened for her; she
found her way into them and sobbed
out her feelings on his shoulder.
"There, there, little Mona," he whis-
pered just for her to hear. "don't feel
so bad. Tell me al about It,"
She gained control of her tears. but
she did not leave the shelter of his
arms. 1T was just as you said," she
told him, quietly. MY career has
ended in failure-it was so bright at
first. but after the big successes fall
ure started in, and now we have ended
up at Windsville, where I started. The
Puritan circus, that has stood for re-
fined entertainment In the sawdust
ring, is bankrupt and its owner, Mona
Millson, is pauper."
'Bh hasn't it all been worth while?"
There was q new note of sympathy In
Rogers voice.
Mona's spirit came back in force.
"Worth while, yes!" she declared, her
eyes shining new light. Every suc'
cess has been paradise, every failure
has just made a resolve for greater
effort. 1t has beena great life. can
never leave it. I will fight on, on
until 1 have achieved what I started
out to achieve-refined entertainment
in circus.
II am not beaten. won't be beaten
even though know that my real hap
piness lies here, in this peaceful val
ley country with you and among those
that love me. 1t hasn't been a fair
fight. 1t has been woman against
the big trusts-a woman against or
ganizations like the Mammoth"
"toin forces with the Mammoth; 1t
is your chance to make good your am'
bltlons !" Roger was excited, too.
"What chance have II" she laughed
"'The Puritan to them is a joke"
"The owner Of the Puritan circus to
the owner of the Mammoth circus is
the most wonderful woman in the
world. He wants to marry her. am
the owner of the Mammoth. started
out to find you. Joined circus In
the hope that that would bring me
nearer to you, and look what it has
led to, after all these years! know
now why you left the narrow, bigoted
country life-the fever of circus life 10
in my blood, too. Won't you join
forces with the Mammoth, won't you
marry the owner of the Mammoth
Mona, I need you, want you So"
Il need you, want you, too" Mona
drew closer in his embrace. Here
where we quarreled, where we parted,
we have come together again. The lit
tie flowers and the brook know all. II
only we could take them to our circus