The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-05-17
BEGIN HERE TO-DAY

formers. Years earlier Madeline
ran away from her grandfather!
farm.
When Donna is injured by I
fall from a trapeze Madeline ar
ranges for her to, be taken IT.
Grandfather Siddafs farm to re
'cnperste. Te please her partne
Donna pretends to be Mt'leline
She falls in love with Bill Siddal
Madeline's cousin, and though sh'
is ashamed Of deceiving Bill an,
Grandfather che is afraid to tel
tho truth. &C.. ,.s
Con David, circus anima
trainer, loves Donna but whel
Madeline tells him that her part
ner is married Con, believing
Donna lost to him, rnarries Made
line. Though terrified of TIL
lions and tigers she takes part il
his animal act. -
Con sees one of Donna's let
ters to Madeline and discover
how she trieked him into mar
riage.
NOW co ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER XIX
When the animals had beer
driven back through the covered
runway and the uproar had sub
sided Renfroe halted Con. "What''
the idea?" he demanded. "Try
ing to commit suicide or pull {
new act?"
Neither. The animal traineI
strobe through the sawdust-cover
ed corridor that led from thu
"big top" to he dressing tent
brushing aside everyone who
stood in his way.
Madeline was waiting at thu
door of her dressing room. Under
the rouge her cheeks were palC
and her eyes black. "Say, what
the matter with you?" she began
Con caught her wrist, ierket
the door omen with his otheI
hand and almost flung her int
the room. The two other won,cr
who shared the dressing room
stared at him in amazement.
Get out" he told them.
Both left quickly, without ;
word. Occasional quarrels ant
even fights were to be EXPECTED
between married couples and Coz
was notoriously temperamental
If he wanted a showdown, figh
and all. it was none of thei
business Madeline looked capable
Of taking care of herself.
Alone with Madeline, Con be
came deadly calm. A smile tina
distorted his features, robbins
them of all attractiveness, spreat
over his face. $50 Donna is tt
be married." he drawled.
"Why-why, yes. ! told yol
that a long time ago"
dyes, you told me-. You tolc
me before she had even though
of such thing. Let's see-hov
many months ago was it? Long
before you trapped me" ...
Don't you say l trapped you"
Madeline rasped.
"Why not? You knew that i
/ hadn't thought Donna was go
ing to marry that rube cousin Of
yours l wouldn't have married
you. So you lied. You told me-
she'd written you that they were
engaged"
"You just said they're going tc
be married." she broke in.
don't know what you're talking
about Now you say | lied"
"I'm talking about this" Cor
extracted the letter from hi'
pocket and flung it at her. ooh
| read it! If you can convince
me that Donna Gabriel even
wrote you she was going to be
married before this letter came
you can convince me I'm the
king of England! GOOD God, you
women are more trescherous than
tigers! | suppose she's marrying
him now because you married
me-" l.
Madeline hurst into hysterical
laughter. "Of all the conceit
Don't tell me you still believe
Donna would ever have had you
She couldn't see you for dust at
any time, and l knew it! Yes,
lied when said they were going
to be married. Why not? | was
fool enough to think that if you
knew you could never have her
you'd snap out of it and begin to
get something out of life"
with you?",
eyes, with me. It's only your
| darned pride and conceit that's
eating you now. That's all 1t
ever was between you and Don
na-and don't tell me any diff
ferent. I've lived with you long
enough to kn6w you'll never love
any one but yourself. The only
reason you wanted Donna was
because you couldn't have her.
wish to God she'd married you
| | don't want you. Not any
more" 49,.
She dropped into a chair. laid
her head on the shelf before the
mirror and burst into angry
tears.
Tears were a defense Con could
not combat. He paced the little
room, whistled disconsolately and
then swung on his heels and left
Madeline picked up the letter
read it through and then destroy,
ed it. She and Con had bott
spoken in the heat of passion but
they had said things that were
not easily forgiven nor forgot
! ten. With her success in the ami