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


II seemed brutal way OF putting
It. but II was the truth; he was
waiting for the death Of the man
who was icss TO him than the sleek
valet who brushed hts clothes and
I. brought shaving-water to the lux
urious bedroom In his London cham
bcrA
A week ago q telegram from old
Fcrgcrson had brought young Briton
peli-meii to the stately house In the
trees outside the village, which
had always seemed TO him like an
ogre's castle. He had never. even
a. . child. looked upon It as home
Il was Just an uncomfortable iuxurf
Gus place. where ono might never
laugh. or race up and down stairs,
or do anything one wanted 70 DO
The old feeling OF chill depression
had fallen upon him afresh. like
|. mantle. when he had turned In at the
>big carriage gates a week ago, and
looked up at the drawn blinds OF the
room where his father lay dying.
He had been conscious OF chin
In every vein as he mounted the
stairs and tiptoed TO the bedside.
Old Briton had watched him cross
the room. his hawk,eyes fierce lie
meath beetiing brows; but for those
eyes he might have been dead al
ready but when he spoke
his voice was firm and hard. as
young Briton had always rcmem-
bcrcd II.
$50 you've come for the dead
mans Shoes he said. and he
laughed gratingly. Don't make too
sure Of them. my boy-nct too sure
r. wh. was a week ago. and he was
stan alivc-the fierce old man who
had never compelled love. only fear
and respect. Only that morning there
had been q cynical smile In his eyes
as he looked at his son. a sheer In
his voice when he answered hts awk-
ward question:
Feeling better. guv'nor-'
Il am not dead yet. Roderick !"
4 pause, and then: You look at me
eth her eyes-you wish me dead. a.
\ che didr'
- The poor little mother.-the little.
my butterfly who had found life
-
hs fathers side.
Rorle could only Just remember
her--her laughing face and witching
Irish eyes. When he was stili n
child. she had taken the only means
q escape she could think OF. and
had broken her marriage vows for
another man.
She was dead long ago. but until
this morning. Rorie had never heard
her name on his fathers lips. He
Aad resented the bitter allusion to
her. remembering soft arms that had
oncc held him-dainty. 5sweied fin
eery that had smoothed his hair.
An angry retort had rushed 10 his
lips; II had taken all his selfcontrol
30 keep IL hack. He had rushed
olindly from tho room and out into
The pale autumn sunshine. and
walked miles and miles In unrcason-
1ng fury and bitterness. TN the sound
* the big drum and the absurd face
u the stiited clown had reused him.
And now he stood at the gate Of
he sodden meadow. and looked ut
~ huddled tents. and caravans with
heart: he felt once more Ike the boy
Who had played truant from school
an those years ago. the sound Of the
A IL drum ana tho absurd smile Of
Ne stilted clown called TO him IKE
= long forgotten voice from the past
Inside the big gates q man In
shabby silk hat, mounted on . rick.
ETY. platform. bswied to the crowd:
walk h'up. walk h'up. the per
fprmances IL now beginning. The
finest show in Hcngiand' Perform
ing lions--marvelous trapeze act
walk h'up. walk h'up.
He caught young Fsriton's eye He
hailed him with a dirty forefinger.
Ere y'are. sir, IAN the fun Of
Ne fair. Walk h'upr
Young Briton looked round almost
furttveiy: he Wondered what his
lather would say( n ne knew what
fjds son was doing: what the sleek
valet In London Jwouid say--what the
fel,ovs NJ his klub would say. then
shr,axred his shoulders. paid his
shiIling. and fsaueezed his big person
thru the crowd into the large rap
ping tent
II was a dun afternoon; the gray
interior WAS lit with yellow fiare.
drawn high up In circles againss
che ROOT: sawdust sprinkied the sod
daeH ground. the doleful band-en-
reonced now behind a rcdcovered
karrier-murdcred a popular song
Nth a kind Of hopelesness. as II
Il were quite aware of It's incompe-
tence. and utterly at a loss to know
how TO rectify IT,
Young Briton mounted the rows
q boarded seats. a couple OF wildly
excited schoolboys elbowed him with
fine disregard; they changed their
seats five times In as many min
uses in order to secure the best view
the shilling seats afforded. Young
Brfton wedged himself between
fat woman with baby on her lap
ana an old man sucking a clay
nine: he looked around with spark
ling eyes at the lurid scene. There
n an odd fascination about travel
ing circus. an indefinabie some
thing that keeps one on the qui vive;
. sort Of feeling that something
apything-may happen at any mo-
Rent Young Briton was subtiy
conscious OF It; he found himself
waiting with intense excitement for
the performance To begin-uncon-
eciously he beat time with his foot
20 the doleful. jerky music. When
. cream colored horse. with back
70 wide that the rawest amateur
could have stood on 1t with safety.
Smbled amiably into the ring with
4 fair equestrienne In tights kissing
her hands TO the enthusiastic audi
ence. he shouted with the rest OF
them; he was boy again--the boy
who had once played truant from
school to follow In the steps Of
stilfed clown.