The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-09-16
Sow GO on WITH rnE STORY


IL was very dark. the high hedges
on either side OF the country road
.seemed 70 rush down upon Roderick
J. he went. the trees waved bare
Branches like warning arms above
his head as IL they would cry Go
back. so back
Roderick was hardly conscious
that the motive which prompted his
visit was a purely selfish one he
WANTED someone TO confide In, even
liz Il were only poor little circus
5Rsri she had known trouble and
|unhappiness herself; she would not
refuse him her sympathy at any
rate.
He felt drunk with misery; he had
never faced a real disa appointment
bsfore In all his life. lie fierceiy
resented his hurt
II was eight o'clock when he
reached Aiperton: twlnkiing lights
shone from the cottage windows. a
discordant blare OF a band smote the
air. blaze OF yellow light In the
sky guided him 70 the wide field
where the circus was camped-
He drove past IL isiowly. Yet. u
was the same. There was the man
/ an the shabby top-hat. hawiing TO
F<he crowd to Walk h'upr the big
MELLOW caravans In the background.
THE barred cages where diSpirlted
AIMS and soft-footed panthers
-4ked up and down. all the long.
weary days; and the flaring bills,
where the name OF Nile. Resale APP
pearea in letters four inches long.
He lief, the car in the yard OF a
small public.house thar was expect
ing 10 do great business when the
a Gus was over. and walked back 10
~ field. He made HIS way across
~ wet ground In the direction OF
n caravans. there was no sign OF
Resalie. Finally he paid bis shilling
and went into the big tent.
II was Just the same old show.
the same old jokes. the Same out-of-
tune hand: but Il all no longer even
family amused him--he chafed i'm
gassently at the delay until Rosaiie
appeared: II seemed an eternity be
fore she ran into the ring.
He watched her every movement
tonigiit--watcned with his heart in
his mouth as she climbed the slender
Ercpe ladder to the dizzy platform
Ehigh up In s~ yellow flarelight
EHupposing 81. slippcd and fclli An
lat once. in his unaccustomed loneli-
Enets. the little acrobat seemed Ike
N valued friend He had only
e6poken 10 her once. but instinctivsiy
he knew that she. at least. would not
E<urn from him now be was no longer
~ rich man. Everybody else would
81 would not only be Lllian--he had
m better men than himself drop
hut Of the magic circle OF so-called
friendship because Fate had seen fit
10 close their banking accountsi
He sat with head thrown back.
yes fixed on the little slender figure
- the gauzy frock with It's trimming
BE- paper roses. He held hts breath
Us she swung from her small foot.
hoid. out--out over the awful space
rS-w: his heart seemed 20 stand
D<when. az a cry OF Are you
ready Are you readyy Cor from
he man in the ring. whom he recog-
nized as the bully. Shcrney. she
posed her hold of the bar. and
1roppcd TO another trapeze. swing
EIng with slow. sensuous movements.
lar below. He drew a great breath
Eof relief when She stood once more
[ln the ring. Before she had bowed
her adieu. he unceremoniousiy
pushed his way out. and stood walt.
|ipg for her in the opening Of the
[fent.
she came slowly, with dragging
steps and downbent head. She had
almost passed him when he stretched
Ms hand. speaking her name:
-Rosaiicr'
VI was only afterwsrds-iong
ugh afterwards--that he recalled
sudden flush that suffused her
{tie face when she saw him--the
1kagcrness in the cry OF Your with
which she answered him. At the
time he was too full Of himself too
eager for sympathy. for which he
had driven those eight rniles-to
notice anything else.
But In an instant the old furtfve-
ness was back upon her. She
booked round fearfuIly.
SEATTLE MAN WAS