The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-05-26
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but keeps it up, even when Bill
Siddal, Madeline's cousin, asks
her to marry him. Amos Siddal,
Madeline's grandfather who owns
the farm, is blind. Mrs. Planter,
housekeeper discharged by Don.
Ina, is her enemy.
J Donna and Bill are married.
Meanwhile Madeline has married
Con David, circus animal trainer,
and takes part in the animal act
Amos Siddal has a stroke.
In New Orleans Madeline goes
into the cage alone with the Ben
gal tiger. The tiger springs and
she is killed.
NOW CO ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER XVII
At daybreak Con stumbled into
the little office of the hotel. The
stark tragedy written in his hag-
gard face and sunken eyes rob-
bed his appearance in circus
costume-of its bizarre effect.
The clerk was asleep under a
green-shaded hanging lamp. his
feet resting on the desk, his chair
tilted against the wall. He start
ed up sleepily when Con asked
for his key. ooh, say-you're
Mr.. David. amt you? There's
been a man hanging around here
waiting to see you. Mr.-Mr.-"
he consulted card on the desk,
'Mr Renfroe. He stayed until
2 o'clock. Then he left and said
you was to get in touch with him
at the St. Charles as soon as you
came in"
"Yes?" Con took the key and
started towards the stairway.
/ "You better phone him." the
other continued, his eyes wide
with curiosity as they took in the
details of yellow trousers and
purple coat. "He seemed upset
when he didn't find you here.
There's a telephone booth over
there"
"Thanks." Lurching as one I'M
der the influence of liquor, Con
j, moved towards the booth. At the
door he fumbled in his pocket
and produced a coin. He was ur-
able to focus his eyes on the tela-
phone directory, and asked the
operator to get the number for
him. After several seconds he
heard Renfroe's voice over the
wire.
i "Where've you been?" the cir
Gus owner demanded when he un-
derstood that it was Con who was
talking. "This is a nice howdy-
do walking out and leaving
everything for me to attend to-
Sorry" Con said thickly.
Guess l went haywire. Well?'
"The doctor got an undertaken
and Madeline has been sent to
the funeral parlors but the rest
is up to you. What are you 60
ing to do?"
- "Send her to her grandfather's,
l suppose" Con answered.
Thanks for doing what you
did"
Someone had to-" Renfro an
swered brusduely and hung up
the receiver.
But later, in a Quieter frame
of mind. Con decided against
sending Madeline's body back to
her home. And so little Madeline
Siddal, whose greatest sin had
been her great love for him, was
lowered into grave in an old
cemetery in New Orleans while
members of the circus Though
few had really cared for herr
wept aloud and then went back
to the grounds to thrill the spec
tators with their daring stunts.
Morbid curiosity to see the cage
where a woman had met her
death drew huge crowds, but Con
was not to be seen. His beasts
were put in their winter quarters
and, taking Renfroe at his word,
Con quit the show. 1t was almost
a week later before he sent word
to the farm that Madeline was
dead. Then he addressed the en-
velope to "Mrs. William Siddal'
and enclosed a clipping from one
of the newspapers describing the
tragedy in graphic fashion. There
was not even a line to inform
Donna of Cons whereabouts nor
q word about his frame of mind
it mattered to him
that the girl had died or not.
1t was a raw, cold day, a fore
taste of winter in October, when
the postman on his rural round
brought the letter to Donna.
Thinking it some kind Of circular,
since the address was typed, she
tossed it on the dining room Ia
Bile and continued her work of
polishing the silverware. :,
Later she noticed it again and
opened it. The clipping, with a
picture of Madeline beneath the
headlines, was like blow in the
face. Donna stared at the printed
words. Physical nausea swept
over her. The floor seemed to
rise and undulate and then drop
with a sickening suddenness.
To think that Madeline was
dead-lovely, reckless Madeline!
And to have died in such hor-
rible manner! In all the glory of
her youth and beauty, facing an
admiring multitude; the next mo-