The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-04-28
BEGIN HERE TO-DAY

lives.
Con David, the animal trainer
is in love with Donna who re
CARDS him merely as a friend
Madeline is in love with Con.
When Meieline's grandfather
writes, asking her to spend tn.
: weekend at his farm near Leb
anon, where the circus is playing
she persuades Donna to take he,
place. Thus it is Donna (pre
tending to be the other girl) whe
meets Bill Siddal, Madeline.
cousin, and goes to dinner with
him.
NOW COON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER III
In the moonlight the road was
like a silver ribbon uncoiling
with amazing rapidity. A heavy
perfume drenched the night air;
a perfume made of green things
growing, Of fruit orchards, wild
flowers and the moist FRAGRANCE
of newly turned earth. Though
the Siddal farm was but five
miles from Lebanon on the main
road, Bill had chosen a longer,
more circuitous route.
The car was a battered one,
badly in need of paint. but Don
ma, her hat in her lap, rested her
head against the faded felt up
holstery and drank in the night
air with keen enjoyment. Her
half-closed eyes saw everything
myriads of fireflies darling
among the wild rose bushes, the
streak of black as cat dashed
across their path, the farm
houses set in the distance, the
huge gnarled oaks and rows of
sycamores.
They had spoken but few words
since Bill had guided her away
from the circus lot, already a
lifeleSs city with its tents deflat-
ed and rolled into bundles. There
was much the yuong man wanted
to say but dared not voice. There
was much Donna wanted to ask
but she hesitated. When either
of them did speak it was of some.
thing trivial.
"That's the TRACER place." Bill
said. "Do you remember the Ira.
gers? Jim was at school with
me-" And a little later Donna
murmured, Pm glad there's late
train Monday. One Of the girls
is going to ride in my place in
the parade"
eve might have asked your
partner to come along" Bill sug-
gested. 81 didn't think of it. Did
she think it was strange we didn't
ask herr"
Donna felt a queer little stab
in her heart. "She almost did
come" she said slowly. recalling
the scene in the dressing room
when Madeline, with a sudden
change of mind, had decided that
Bill Siddal looked interesting
enough to risk visit home. But
for Con David's jealousy Donna
might have remained with the
circus and Madeline gone to the
farm. However, Con had appear
ed and to pique Donna lat least
he had hoped to do so) had invit-
ed Madeline to have supper with
him and Madeline had accepted
the invitation.
! "Your grandfather may be in
! bed" Bill said as he turned the
car into a road only a little wider
/ than a cowpath. eff he is, we
won't wake him. He's mighty
feeble these days and needs all
the sleep he can get. Your COM
ing will be a red-letter day in
his life. You don't know how
much he cares about YOU"
Donna sensed the disapproval
Bill had not actually expressed
and she shivered slightly. Now
that she had reached her destina-
ton she wondered if it would be
possible to deceive a loving old
man who remembered his grand
child's voice, the contour of her
face. Had the loss of his eye
sight made his other faculties
keener? If he realized she was
an impostor could she convince
him the deception had been well
lintentioned? And what would
, Bill say?
She had sudden impulse to
tell him the truth then, an i'm
pulse she crushed instantly for
the headlights Of the car brought
into stark outline the narrow,
austere, brick building which was
the Siddal farmhouse. Light flow
ed from one of the lower win
dows and, as the car passed thru
the open gateway and moved up
a driveway between rows of
cactalpa and sycamore trees, a
/ man appeared in the doorway.
! "Therc's 'Grandpop," said Bill.
81 reckon the excitement of see
ing you again kept him awake"
He called, Hello there" and
the old man waved his hand.
Before the car came to a stop
at the front porch Donna had an
opportunity to look at her host
He was tall and very erect. His
snow white hair curled slightly
and touched the collar of the
| dressing gown that chung to his