The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-05-19
BEGIN HERE TO-DAY.

farm. :, q s.. =, -. 49,
When Donna is ,injue5: by a
fall from TIE trapeze Madeline
arranges, for her to be taken to
Grandfather SiddaPs farm to re-
cuperate. To please her partner
Donna pretends to be Madeline.
She falls in love with Bill Siddal,
Madeline's cousin, and though she
is ashamed of deceiving Bill and
Grandfather she is afraid to, tell
the truth. .. .~...... -:
Meanwhile Madeline marries
Con David, animal trainer with
the circus, and although terrified
of the lions and tigers takes part
in the animal, act. 10 ~....n
Mrs. Planter, housekeeper on
the farm, is hostile to Donna.
Bill and Donna are married.
After the ceremony Mrs. Planter
shows Donna a handful announc-
irg Madeline's marriage to Con
in the circus arena.
NOW CO ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER XXI
The circus was en- route to
New Orleans and all the perform
ers were looking forward to the
week to be spent tn re. 1t was
where Con usually spent the win
ter and he had many friends in
the city. 1t meant change from
Pullman state rooms, since those
who could afford it would move
to hotels and boarding houses.
New Orleans was considered the
high spot Of the tour, and every
one was getting costumes clean
ed or making new ones for the
opening there.
In Nashville Con had purchas-
ed several yards of amber color
ed satin and asked the wardrobe
mistress to make q suit for Made
line similar to one Of his own.
When she went for her first fit
ting Madeline drew back in nor
ror and protested that she could
not wear yellow. OTIS bad luck!'
she walled. "You know yellow is
bad luck, Con. Well get our
notices or something else will
happenw
He laughed at her superstition.
"Who cares about notices any
way? I've worn yellow suit in
all the big cities and / guess if
| can. Won can. Don't be so
silly" ,..
Every free moment now he was
working with Lucy, the Bengal
tigress, determined that she
should be the star beast when
they played New Orleans. The
struggle for supremacy between
man and beast was magnificent.
Day after day. the huge cat would
be driven into the arena where
Con faced her alone. She would
snarl defiance and crouch as
though to spring. Then, at the
crack of his whip, she would
lack away until her gorgeous
body was crushed against the
bars. But Lucy would not GO
through the routine. Each day
Con would curse and leave the
cage more determined than ever
to break the tigress' spirit.
Then, as though she realized
that man was her master, Lucy
became tractable. The day she
wriggled across the sawdust at
his command and lay fawning at
his feet like tame kitten he
was as elated as a small boy with
new toy engine. Con cele-
Erated by inviting Renfroe and
La Belle Matilde to dinner at a
smart hotel and his gay spirits
caused the circus owners wife to
remark that he was more ex-
cited over conquering Lucy than
he had been over his marriage to
Madeline.
Madeline hated the tigress and
her hatred held an element OF
jealousy. Beyond a doubt Lucy
was OF vastly more Importance
to Con than Madeline herself
Sometimes, as Madeline watched
him training the beast. she, al
most hoped the tigress would turn
on him and pay him back for the
brutality he had shown. Each
afternoon and evening when she
stood in the cage with the beasts
her gaze was focused on Lucy,
The others she no longer feared,
scarcely thought about. Only
Lucy remained the personifica-
ton of evil.
Madeline knew some day Con
would ask her to handle the tig-
ress alone. She knew she would
REBEL and that on that day their
marriage would go on the rocks.
Sometimes she wondered if she
still loved Con or if she hated
him more than she had ever low
ed him. He dominated her in
every way. His will was her law.
His touch was still like a mag
|netic current but when she was
alone she would think of his self
|ishness, his utter callousness to
her feelings, and she hated him.
They played Biloxi the day be-
fore they went to New Orleans.
Because it was cheaper to remain
there over Sunday Renfroe did
mot move the show until the fol
lowing evening, but Con, anxious
to get into the city, hired car
and he and Madeline motored in,
With the warm autumn breeze
tanning her cheeks Madeline mes