The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-05-22
BEGIN HERE TODAY

by ran from the traPeze Wdae
line arranges for her to be taken
to Grandfather Siddaps farm to
recuperate. To please her part
ner Donna pretends to be Made
lire. She is ashamed of this de-
ception but keeps it up. even
when Bill Siddal, Madeline's eou-
sin, asks her to marry him..
Meanwhile, Madeline marries
Con Davis, animal trainer with
the circus, ami takes part in the
animal act, .l,,.. r......
Mrs. Planter, housekeeper on
the farm, shows Donna hand
ILL announcing Madeline's mar
riage to Coz in the circus. arena
and DOMAIN realizes. the Woman
is a dangerous enemy. ...,.- .,
Grandfather Siddal has stroke.
Mrs. Planter, basing her conclu.
sicr on the handful, accuses Don.
ra Of biga-ay. -, -. 1850.
NOW co ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER XXIII '.. o..
Donna sprang to her feet, her
face livid with anger. "You hor-
lible old woman !" she cried. "You
would choose a time like this to
say such thing! And you know
it's not truel I'll admit that |
was IN your room. / wanted TO
find the handful because ex-
pected you to use it to back up
your damnable gossip. Well, you
can go ahead! Tell my husband
about the bill. Tell him anything
you want to, and see how much
good it does you. Do you think
Bill will believe your stories? He
knows my partner was married a
short time before ! was and he
hasn't your evil, suspicious mind
He'll know by the date that the
handful couldn't possibly have
anything to do with me. Why,
wasn't even with the circus
them
Mrs. Planters thin upper lip
drew back over her yellow teeth.
The nostrils of her pinched nose
quivered. "There amt any date
on the BILL" she said. Ears |
know, it may have been printed a
year ago-or mebbe two. Mebbe
YOU and that Teller got a divorce,
but | calculate Bill Siddal would
not relish no divorced woman for
his wife"
"There is a date" Donna in
sisted. "Handbills always have a
date! Leave me alone now and
go away. You can do whatever
you like! All it will get you is
to be thrown out of this house,
Rag and baggage! Bill will be-
lieve my word against yoursw
"Mebbe he will and mebbe he
won't" the woman answered,
"but just the same there amt no
date on that bill. l reckon
orter know. If you don't believe
me. take a look at it"
From a shabby handbag she
carried on her arm Mrs. Planter
extracted the paper. She unfolded
it and waved it before Donna's
face.
The girl saw the words, "Sat-
urday afternoon" and nothing
else. There was no date, nothing
to indicate when the public mar
Rage ceremony was to take place.
The housekceper's ieering face
became the countenance of a
devil. Suddenly a film of red
danced before Donna's eyes. All
discretiC- vanished and, with a
strangled sob, she sprang toward
the housekeeper, trying to snatch
the paper from her hand.
Mrs. Planter gave a half-lnsane
cackle and put the hand that held
the bill behind her. "No, you
don'tw she chortled.
Unmindful Of results, Donna
caught the woman's arm and
twisted it around. Using all the
strength that had given her the
power to swing her body, sup
porting all her weight by one
wrist, she crushed the woman's
flesh and muscle until the paper
fell from Mrs. Planer's fingers.
Then, like lightning, she bent,
snatched it up and tore it to
shreds.
"Now," she cried triumphant
ly, 'talk! Say anything you
want to say, but get out of this
house! Get out now! Only be
careful that you can prove every
Statement you make or-so help
me, God--I'll have you sent to
prison for libel"
Without retort the house
keeper opened the door and left
the room. Donna stood holding
the craps of paper in her trem-
bling hands and listening to the
woman's footsteps down the hall.
She had triumphed, but she knew
that from that moment on Mrs.
Planter would be her active enc
my.
Yes, she had triumphed but it
was a hollow victory. Mrs. Plant
er had been hostile enough be-
fore. What would she do now
that Donna had openly defied
her, had ordered her to leave the
farm?
She had little time to speculate
about the future, for before she
had washed the traces of emotion
from her cheeks Bill burst into