The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1919-10-04

Sill, LA.
bears loose" he called to the group
Of tents across the path, and before
Maia had time to think just what was
the wisest course Of action when meet
ing a bear single-handed, "the mena-
gerie" people had come, four or five of
them, and had dragged off their en-
tirely harmless and spiritless beast,
who had prowled off in an unguarded
moment.
But every one in that part Of the
Woodmere lawn had heard the COM
motion, and like wildfire spread the
information that ferOcious bear
had broken into Alicia Barton's tent,
that there had been a narrow escape,
that one of the young men from the
menagerie tent had performed the
rescue and that on the whole the af-
fair had been very thrilling.
That seemed to turn the tide to-
ward the gypsy's tent. For now they
came eagerly, they stood in line out
side, and the eager Bobby was more
occupied now in timing the applicants
to see that no one stayed more than
five minutes than in shouting through
his megaphOne. And Maia, between
those tive-minute interviews, noticed
that the tambOurine in which she put
the silver with which her palm was
crossed was getting to look very tempt
ing, and some of the "silver" was real
~ paper.
She rather regretted that Alicia
Barton would have all the credit, for
as yet her mask had not been re-
moved and she had heard more than
one remark from outside that Alicia
certainly looked charming in gypsy
costume.
The afternoon was almost over and
Maia was beginning to feel the strain
Of her unaccustOmed work when some
one came who caused her heart to
beat faster than had the inQuisitive
bear
perhaps you had better knock
off, Miss Barton" he began. "YOu
must have had quite fright from
that beast" 1t was DR.. Rodney Hill
Rodney Hill, by whose side Maia
had worked during those most trying
days and nights in France; Rodney
Hill, WhO when they parted four
months ago, had held Maia's hand in
his own and had told Maia that she
was the Quickest girl in the world
and had told her that he didn't know
how he was going to get along with
out her. Maia had not heard from
Doctor Hill again, and there were
times when she had had to confess to
herself that in her disappointment
there was greater cause for the eX-
haustiOn she had felt during these
months back in America than was the
memory Of all the work in France.
Maia didn't intend to take off that
mask even then, but once she spoke
Rodney Hill knew her and he knew
1t was not Alicia Barton, to whom he
had been sent to give any profess
si0nal aid that she might need after
the bear episode, which had been get
ting more and more interesting as the
afternoon passed.
He was holding her hand again and
telling her that she was the Quickest
! girl, and Bobbie had been told to give
them double time," which meant ten
minutes.
"But l didn't know you were one
Of these people-money and society
and all that sort of thing" he told her.
"And 1 never dreamed that you
were," she said. "YOu never seemed
like these Woodmere people or that
you knew girls like Alicia Barton"
"But I'm not, and / don't" pro.
tested Rodney. "You see when
got back from France I'd rather lost
my grip. l had just finished medical
college when l went over, and ex-
hausted as / was l wasn't in shape
to put up the fight that would be
necessary to start In on my own.
Then / got in touch with these million
aire Dorkinses who wanted a resident
doctor for the summer to look after
old Dorkins govt and Grandma Dor
kins' bad temper. Well, to tell the
truth, 1t was because of the fat salary
that went with it that accepted it for
the summer.
ST wanted to make sure l had
enough to keep the pot boiling for a
year and then / was, going to look you
up and ask you whether you'd help
me to start. wanted to tell you back
there in France, that night when we
left, but / knew we had both been
through too much TO think of ourselves
then. Besides, | wanted to have a
home to offer you before l asked you.
Maia dear"
"Ten minutes is up" called out the
cheerful barker outside, and then,
"This way to see the greatest gypsy
In the world. Learn your past and
know your future"
|
Indian Gamssters.