The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-09-14

ringmastcr held up a white-gioved
hand for silence: he made an eiab-
orate. n somewhat ungrammauoai
speech announcing tho starturn OF
the --Madcmoiscile Rosalie. In
her wonderful trapeze act
The two boys who had elbowed
young Rriton began TO talk excited
iy--they stared up with fascinated
eyes 10 whore a swinging bar hung
IN the light OF the yellow flares high
up against the roof.
"She gets 100 pounds n week. Tom.
Yes. she does--i know she does. My
sister told me so. and the man at
the SHOP where the bills were huns
up told her. II you don't believe
me.
tie broke off as a little figure. IN
silk tights and n short white skirt
decorated with a trail Of paper roses
ran into the ring. she looked ia.
thetically small In the big. drcary
riaee-iike little fiuttering butter
fly.
Young Rriton felt an ov~rwheim.
Ing pity for her; what sort OF life
could Il be for any woman--foiiow.
ing n third rate circus from place
to place in all wcathers--with no
real homei
She had climbed the ropeladder
now. and stood high up on q tiny
platform beside the swinging trn.
pexe. her little slender figure out.
lined IN the yellow light
Young Briton averted his eyes with
n sudden sick feeling: he had once
seen a man fan from a height not
20 grcat--faii and miss the safety
net below: he could not force himself
now to look at this girls per.
formance; he was relieved when n
thundcrous burst Of applause told
him she was safely on the ground
again.
she made her exit. bowling from
side to side-kissing her hands TO the
audience. She vanished thru the
tent-opening like little white fairy
When she had gone young Briton
rose and made his waS out also.
There was a drixzling rain falling:
the field looked gray and depressing:
the glow OF fire from a caravan
made = pleasing splash OF color thru
the somberness. Young Brison
stopped and looked In at the open
door.
The Pickering freight played upon
row OF brightly FURNISHED copper
pots and pans and a neat truckle
bed In the corner.
Short red curtains hung AZ the
small windows: the whole place was
scrupuiousiy clean.
A man crouchcd beside the fire:
bis shadow fell. huge and mlssha pen.
on the ceiling. the hands he held to
the blanc looked enormously large
for the size Of his body.
~ young Briton watched him he
rose TO bis feet. he was a bunch.
back.
He had q young face. lined either
by pain or bitterness; his hair grew
In coarse masses. his eyes were small
and shrewd beneath bcetfing browz;
thru the open door they met the In.
terested gaxe Of young Britnn- The
hunchback scowicd suddenly. and,
stretching out . long arm, slammed
The caravan door.
Brston moved away; he felt cold
and chill Where he had stood the
ground had oozed into little puddles
OF wnfer; hts boots were caked with
mud.
He walked a few steps toward the
road: he remembered he had had no
lunch.
Suddenly . giri's shrifi scream rent
the air. followed by piteous sobbins
words.
Young Brton stopped and looked
round: then he turned and retraced
his steps.
The cries came from behind the
big caravan: as be rounded n he saw
a man. with uplifted fist. about TO
strike girl. who crouchcd away
from him. sobbfng.
Young Briton took . stride for.
ward: his fingers closed over the
mans wrist like iron: he twisted the
knuckies Of his other hand into the
mans collar.
You would. would your You
briter' he snid between his teeth.
ff a neglected boyhood and two
yearS idIing at Oxford had taught
young Briton nothing else. they had
taught him how 10 use his fists. and
he used them now unsparingiy.
The girl watched him trcmblingiy
with fascinated eyes. Suddenly sbe
made little rush forward--she
caught his arm In both her slender
hands.
Let him go: let him go''
Young Briton looked down at her.
he was flushed. and his eyes were
fierce. At that moment he looked
very like the old man who lay dying
up at the big house among the trees.
Let him go--oh. please let him
CO. said the girl again
She was as white as the frock she
wore beneath the long shabby brown
coat that enveloped her childish
figure. Young Briton flung the man
from him into the mud. and turned
his back on him with a royal indif
ference.
Did the brute hurt your he
asked brcathlessiy.
He was conscious that The girl
looked umidiy past him at the pros
trate man before she answered
-No--thank you" But the shabby
cloak had slipped aside, and beneath
IL he saw that she was nursing n
slender wrist. all bruised and bleed
ing.
Young Briton flushed, his big
hands clenched themselves into fists;
he looked back at the man who had
risen stiffly from the ground
You lay finger on her again
and Ill set the police on you" he
said. furiousiy.
The man began 10 swear and blus-
ter: he WAS a communicating fellow
in shabby evening dress; he wore a
sham diamond stud In his shirtfront.
and another in a ring on hes little
finger: his eyes were ugly as they
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