Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1919-07-10
Before the Ball
r.
By S. B. HACKLEY
By S. B. HACKLEY

All the way home Dorland, newly
made junior partner of the Lasley
Vickery company, thought of his
mothers last letter..
"Alleen's been going out with Will
Carey ever since you've been away"
the letter said. with Wills being
so handsome, and Alleen a bit tickle,
and Arabella Avery encouraging the
match, the Avery ball may mean the
climax of things. Really, son, ! think
You ought to hurry home"
His mother was so keen for his
marriage to his rich partners daugh-
ter. And Alleen-Alleen was charm
ing-he believed that he loved her.
At Corbin Junction Stafford Fife
greeted him.
TRAINS two hours late, Frank"
Dorland's pleasant dark face cloud
ed a bit. Fife laughed. "Take off
that frown, Frank; you'll see her to-
night, anyway. Let's go to the cir
GUS"
Twice daily for four years Mile.
Jeanette Cheronnet had entered the
cage of the performing lions, and Dor
land had neither known nor cared.
But today when he watched her NOV
ing fearlessly among the fierce beasts
that at the end of the act began to
growl and lunge, his face paled like
one who sees his beloved in danger
and is powerless to help.
"Buck up, old man!' Fife laughed.
"The lions are used to her. They
wouldn't hurt her if she were to fall ="
"Much you know about lions, man"
a man next them exclaimed. '"rhat
girl takes her life in her hands every
time she goes in that cage!"
Another half moment and made
moiselle was turning to bow her ac-
acknowledgements to the applause. Her
brown eyes, clear and innocent, met
Dorlands. She caught her breath and
hurried out of the tent. The sawdust
under her feet had turned to shining
gems, the shabby canvas had become
spun gold!
"She's got to have her rest after the
nervous strain of her act" the mana
ger of the show impatiently explained
to Dorland. "She's got to sleep until
the evening performance. And she
don't like hangers-On!"
"But I'm not a 'hanger-on,' object
ed Dorland. IT want to be properly
introduced to Mile. Cheronnet."
"A reporter, Ell? Well, maybe she'll
give you five minutes"
Still in her spangled chiffon stage
costume, mademoiselle appeared.
81 am afraid of the lions for YOU"
Dorland found himself saying. A
warm color suffused the girls face.
ut ees for me, monsieur, you fear?
It ees kind, most kind, monsieur-but
they love me! The creatures have
known me thees long time; they love
mel"
"And so do T." echoed Dorland's
heart, seven l who have known you
but an hour!"
81 wish you worked in store or
some other safe placer he murmured.
"But, monsieur" she objected, Il
must have more than clerks
money!
When her parents had died, she ex-
planned, the great-aunt who had lands
and money had taken her in, but not
Lucille, the sister who had married be-
meath her family. And now Lucille
was dead, and her crippled husband
and her little children were, oh, so
poor!
"My aunt and my cousins cast me
off when I took the training of the
lions-but it meant money, and could
not let poor CASTOR and the mother
less ones starve, monsieurw
Could she see him again soon? Dor
land asked when he arose to leave.
She hesitated. There was little time,
on the road, but if monsieur were
ever to be in the city in which the
circus went into winter quarters, it
might be possible. The managers
paid her to stay there and teach the
lions.
At the ball, Alleen Vickery, looking
like a lily in a blue vase, beckoned
to him. II want you to show me the
fish in the lake." :.
Along the sanded path she chung to
his arm, screaming at leafs rustic.
"Ive been wanting to see the fish
playing by moonlight so long, but
Nora and were afraid to come over
here aloner'
Dorland listened with strange intol-
erance. Afraid in that fower-flled
garden, by the broad light Of the
moon! And at that moment that 9th
er girl, as delicately tender, was ex-
posing her delicate body in a den of
lions that others might have daily
bread!
A fortnight later and Dorland stood
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