Year: 1874

the canvas.


Both started more ftfully than they
had done before, and released the hands
they had been pressing.


A horse-one of the finest in the stud
had been led out and was standing
near the curtain that concealed the ring
and spectators ready TO make a dashing
entree. By its side, but the opposite
one to them, woman was standing,
black haired, brunette in complexion,
with tall, supple figure and eyes that
flashed with almost more than human
brightness. For single instant Annie
caught the expression of her face, and
saw the line sharp, white teeth that
broke the intensefed of the full lips,
and, drawing back with a shudder she
could not repress, asked;


who is that, Fred?'


She is known by the name Of the
Cuban queens the best woman rider
l ever saw-brave, fearless and dashing'


Has she been with you all summer


Yes; but why? Are you .iealous?"


NO, but and she blushed under his
earnest glances.


WE'LL he continued, with smile,
you might have had reason if you had
been with us Certainly | might have
had her for wife had l bat given her
the slightest encourageme ent.'


Does she love you?' and the voice of
the girl was as low and sad as the beat
ing of the waves upon the reaches of
the silver sand.


L believe she would have done so if
I would let her But there was no dan
ger of that darling;' and he called her
attention TO the beauty of the horse.


The Cubaness had also been engaged
in conversion, though very brief one
only consisting in asking one of the
riders if that was the girl the trapezist
was to marry, and receiving an affirma-
tive answer. Then she hid her face
one famed for its tragical beauty, but
now almost devilish with the spasm of
jealous rage that distorted it-for a mo-
ment in the flaring name OF her steed,
conquered her emotion with powerful
effort, wreathed her lips into the studied
smile of the artist, and stepping toward
Fred said in skillfull modulatod voice:


Let me congratulate you in advance
upon the success of your benefit.


And let me thank you for the kind
ness you have shown in the matter.
He would have introduced her to. An
ME, but the girl had turned modestly
away, and so he continued:


You know that this night ends my
connection with the company. Be as
sured, however, that if, in the future,
I can do anything to promote your sue
cess or happiness I will do so, and hope
you will feel free TO call upon me-


you are to be married?' she asked,
without even a word of thar ks.


Yes. Will you not come and dance
at my Wedding


'Cerlainly-when you are married
He did not notice the emphasis on the
latter part of the sentence-had no time
to do so-for even as they were uttered
the bell summoned the fair rider, and
she leaped, unassisted, upon her horse
and dashed into the arena. Then hG
called Annie again to him and they took
a place where they could see her speed
ing around the. circle, while the air rang
with plaudits. And we'll it might; sucl
matchless riding had never before beer
seen, probably never would be again, anC
the horse she rode, gained far beyond it
trained and regular pace, ran and leap
ed as if entirely unbroken.


The devil il in that woman 10 night
said one groom to another.


Yes, and in the horse toe. ! never
saw either of them so wild and neve
know her to ride with a spur before


a spur!' was echoed in astonishment


Yes, saw her get one of the ring
masters, and that she is using it you car
tell by the fiery leaps Of the horse. H
never would stand such thing, and i
he doesn't break her neck he will hi
own BY heavenl look at her face. He
eyes are flashing like balls of fire ano
her teeth are set hard. I believe she i
drunk or crazy.


'Pshaw! it is only her hot Spanisl


blood. Something has gone wrong, yo,


may depend. But if she makes that leaI
over the garters with the horse running


at the mad rate she is gone. No! She


safe. I never saw anything to match
in all my life


She was indeed safe, though she has


taken desperate. chances sufficient t
! break dozen necks, and as she spran
lightly from her foaming horse t1asl
of triumph shot from her black eyes, an
: scornfully disdaining the bouquets tina
had been flung at her feet she rapid
disappeared, leaving the clown TO AZ
propriate and make merry over them.
D Another act or two very tame afte
: the last and the king of the trapeze-
: was called to taken his place. With
n single word to the girl he loved h
: sprang into the sawdust circle and bow


ed low to the storm of applause-on
e wild enough to have turned less stead
e head. But coolly, perfectly collected
t he cast his eyes over the vast assembl,
d and brighter light came to them and
y truer smile to his lips as he saw whel
d his Annie was seated, looking at hiI
. with ot-to-be-concealed pride.
], He braced his muscles, drew up h
\ head, ran his fingers lightly up throug
e his curling chestnut hair, and thanke
6 all for their presence. The dress he wo
e showed his finely-knit figure to the grea


est advantage and flashed with evel
e movement as if covered with stars an
,r diamond dust. His face was glowir
n With health and hope, and many we
d the eyes of admiration that girlhuc
y turned toward him as he swung light
b from bar to bar until he reached the to
n most one, as easily, apparently, as BIZ
| xun.Yl6 Hau fo1ry,a.