The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-05-11
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formers. Years earlier Madeline
ran away from her grandfather S
home.
| When Donna is injured in fall
from the trapeze Madeline ar.
ranges for her to be taken to
Grandfather SiddaPs farm. To
! please her partner Donna pretends
} to be Madeline. She falls in love
with Bill Siddalj Madeline's cous-
! in, and though she is ashamed Of
deeeiying Bill and Grandfather she
| is afraid to tell them the truth.
- Meanwhile Madeline marries
Cor, David, animal trainer with
the circus. He tells her he is going
! to put her in his animal act.
NOW co ON WITH THE STORY
! CHAPTER XIV
Almost before Con David had
kissed his bride, the entire circus
troupe descended upon them.
Down the Pullman aisle came the
strange folk, rattles and horns and
drums raising blatant din above
the grind of the train wheels and
the chug-chug of the engine.
Stateroom doors were thrown
open. Chairs and cushions were
flung into the aisles. Hampers of
food and, against all regulations,
bottles of wine and beer were pro-
/ duced. Every one from clown to
musician, from equestrian star to
midget, had something to contrib
ute to the festivity in the way of
| food or song OF story.
Renfroe, who had had a good
! week, was the gayest of all. With
the mercurial spirit of the troup-
er, he was certain that business
was going to be good now. Didn't
the weather reports for the next
/ few days predict sunny skies? AnC
sunshine brought the farmers tc
town and sent pennies into Rem
froe'S pockets. Beside that a wed
| ding always brought good luck.
La Belle Matilde, regal in black
satin and the diamonds she hac
I few occasions to wear, supervised
! the feast. Twenty-four hours ear
! lier she had been ready to de.
nounce Madeline as a trouble
/ maker, but that was over. Made
line was a bride now.
Two acrobatS seized the girl ir
their strong. muscular arms anC
flung her upon the upper berth
Some one demanded a speech anc
Madeline, between giggles of EN-
barrassment and the braves of the
crowd, proclaimed her great hap
piness and gratitude to them all
When it was time for Con tt
make a speech it was discovered
that he had disappeared. During
the merry-making and confusion
he had slipped from the car tt
the one adjoining, thrown himself
on couch in the smoking room
and fallen asleep.
His absence was a signal for the
crowd to dispense, though none Of
them realized as Madeline die
(since no one else knew that Cor
did not love, herr that the cele
bration of his wedding was like
pouring vinegar into an oper
wound.
Madeline was pale and weary
when she babe the crowd gooc
night. Then she sat down to wait
for her husbands return. She had
few illusions about her marriage
Con had played the gallant to save
her. with no intention of marrying
her really. Between herself and
Renfroe he had been catapulted
into a publicity stunt that made a
husband of him. Nevertheless, she
argued he need not insult her this
way. He hadn't been compelled to
tell Renfroe they were engaged,
and whether Donna ever married
! Bill Siddal or not she certainly
would never have married Con.
| DAMN Madeline muttered.
"Why did they have to make all
that fuss? Just when he seemed
to care something for me they had
to come in and spoil everything !
But | don't care! / won't care!
Pm his wife. And, so help me,
nothing he does will send me
away from him.!
But because she loved him and
because more than her pride was
hurt by his Indifference she burst
into bitter sobs that shook her
from head to foot.
DAYLIGHT crept under the blinds,
streaking a pattern of yellow on
the strip of carpet beside her bed.
1t made gray and bleak the white.
washed walls of the stateroom and
showed the girls swollen eyelids,
the tense lines about her mouth,
and the blush pallor of her face.
Madeline rose, swaying dizzily,
and stared at her reflection in
the mirror. "My wedding night, J"
she laughed grimly. "My wedding
night! Well, the jokes on me!
What bag l look! 81
She bathed her face in cold wa
| ter, opened her makeup box ana
proceeded to rouge her cheeks
and lips. When her appearance
was improved she opened the
stateroom door and peered into
the aisle. 1t was still in dark
ness. A draft of cold air made
her shiver. She lifted shawl
from the untouched berth, pulled
! it about her bare shoulders and
then crept cautiously. noiselessiy
down the corridor. On right and
! left doors were closed, but from