The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-05-15
EEGIN HERE TODAY


When Donna is injured in a
fall from the trapeze Madeline
arranges for her to be taken to
i Grandfather Si1daPs farm. To
please her partner Donna pre-.
tends to be Madeline. She falls
in love with Bill Siddal, Made
lines cousin, and though she is
ashamed of ,deciving Bill ar,3
Grandfather she is afraid to tell
/ then, the truth.
MeanwhileG Madeline marries
Con David, animal trainer with
the CIRCUS. Although sh. is ter.
rified of the lions and tigers he
forces her to take part in the
animal act. az. "...- ..,. o..
/ Back on the farm Bill confess.
es his love to Donna. 80 }.
/ NOW COON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER XVII ...
Donna moved away a step so
that she could look into the
young mans face. "Bill," she
said, ''if we don't marry-what
Will We do!
That's what I've been think
ing about day and night" he an
swered gioomily. almost from
the first I've been thinking about
it. When you fell and were hurt
was even cad enough to hope
you might be crippled so that !
could take care of you always.
Then every day you grew strong
en- and lovelier and it all became
more hopeless" He stared
across the orchard, seeing none
Of the beauty Of his surround
ings.
care you a coward?" Donna
asked tensely.
what do you mean?"
/ "If | were a man who loved a
woman and knew that she loved
me l wouldn't worry about public
opinion or anything else. I'd take
her and hold her and let the rest
of the world go hang"
He gave sudden, boyish
laugh and swept her into his
arms again. "And that's what
Pm going to do. dear. Just that
Maybe no one will even be sur
prised that we should marry. And
if they do" IT.
eve shan't always be here,
When Grandfather dies" Hel
voice was lost under his kiss.
"We'l tell him now. Shall
we?" he said after a few mo-
mentS.
She nodded. Hand in hand they
walked through the orchard and
across the meadow, their feet
sinking into deep, lush grass
Now and then Bill paused to kiss
her or give her an ecstatic hug,
Manlike, he had let her solve his
problem and his spirits had
risen with the decision.
But before they reached the
house Donna's citation vanished
she had trumphed over Bill's
scruples.u She knew, though he
didn't, that there was no real OBJ
stacle in the way Of kinship tC
their marriage. But she knew
also that there was another bar,
rier far more real and sinister
Conscience babe her to tear il
down, to share her secret with
Bill and leave it to him to de-
eide whether or not she was wor-
thy to become his wife. Some
day he would learn the truth. 1t
was too much to expect that
their lives could 90 on without
the ugly secret being revealed.
Out of the past would come some
person, some memory to disclose
the truth. And then what?
: .s,f r.t ~ *
J Mrs. Planter, standing on the
back porch, saw the two APP
proach. With a pair of field glasses
she noted their hands entwined
and her thin lips curled over her
yellow teeth in an ugly snarl. She
Whirled about and went into the
house.
"Amos! Amos Siddal" she
called.
"What is it, Mrs. Planter?'
"Amos, I'm no meddler and if
you was up .;and could see for
yourself | wouldn't say a word
about what 5ain't my business.
Nobody can say i ever interfere
where l shouldn't, but when | see
blood cousins misbehaving them
selves in a way that only a cou-
H., pie that means to get married
should, then | feel it my bounden
duty to speak out!'
at never occurred to me, Mrs.
Planter" said the old man gently,
chat even Young couples who in
tend to be married should misbe-
have themselves. Suppose you
tell me Just what these blood cou-
sins have been doing2" - 49,
They're holdin' hands in the
Ifield-nothing else but! And kiss
| in'y too. l seen 'em with my own
eyes and"
"hnd a, spy glass;" he inter-
rupted dryly.
"Well lands sakes, when there's
SIGH carryings-on a body has a
right to use field glasses and
anything else, | should think"
$50" said the old man smiling,
"to hold hands is misbehavior.
And a kiss-do you know, Mrs.
Planter, there isn't anything in
life quite so sweet as a first kiss
between a boy and girl in love
for the first time? I believe their