Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 2 — page 93: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘A’ CIRCUS FOR MIRABELLE. | but he would not stand for her name being bandied about. The begging, pilfering and threatening circus troop outraged the entire country- side. Word came to Zach Marsden from a committee of Crumpled Creek Valley farm- ers, that the circus had to move on imme- diately. Then the school trustees sent a caustic message to Zach, stating that the parents were afraid to permit their children attending school, hence school was suspend- ed till the district was rid of this circus scourge. Zach went to Mr. Benson. “I’m askin’ you to take over them three cow-ponies 0’ mine, Mr. Benson, for a steer and enuff grub to feed them circus people a spell. Something’s gotta be did right off.” Zach met the hard, direct stare of his boss with- out flinching. “Supposing I do as you suggest, what will you do after that’s gone?” inquired Benson crisply. “T ain’t thought of anything ‘cept: to feed ’em—not yet. I’m askin’, Mr. Benson.” “ That may be true, but this community isn’t asking you to feed this circus—we are demanding that you get them out of Crum- ple Creek Valley—the sooner the better for everybody concerned.” _ “Will you swap, Mr. Benson? Id a heap rather the ponies stayed on this here ranch else I wouldn’t ask you. I’m aimin’ to do the best I know.” | Mr. Benson begrudgingly consented. The string of ponies was exchanged for a fat steer and a goodly stock of provisions. Zach carted the supplies down to the circus- grounds himself. It was on his return trip that he encoun- tered Miss Mirabelle. It was his first glimpse of her since Saturday night—the big night of the circus performance given in her honor.’ Zach’s tortured senses brightened as he slammed the brake on the wagon. He had been abused and berated so persistently since the reversion of his grand stand play that he craved a word of comiort. He believed that he could brace up and be fit for any emergency did Miss Mira- belle favor him with a smile. He would My ponies’re worth all 215 tell her of the good samaritan deed he had just done. The girl sat her horse splendidly as she came down the road at a brisk canter, Ten- drils of the gold-glittering hair tumbled about her tiny ears and unconsciously, without ‘yet being able to see them, Zach began counting those five adorable freckles. When she slowed her horse to a walk, Zach removed his hat, his smile of greeting chas- - ing away the lines of worry about his mouth. “ How de do, Miss Muirabelle!”’ Instead of the welcoming smile he craved she surveyed him with scathing contempt as she reined her horse to a standstill. “Miss Dutton, if you please,” she re- plied curtly. ‘‘ Mr. Marsden, it is unbe- lievable, this horrid thing you have done. Was it not enough that you make yourself the laughing stock of the whole country without dragging my name in the mire? “What right did you have to even men- tion my name in connection with the—the Stealing of this circus? The trustees have asked to explain, the children, even, speak of it as my circus!” Her white little teeth suddenly clenched her lower lip to stop its quivering. Her cheeks had paled, but there were dangerous sparks flashing in her wide, blue eyes. “ I—TI didn’t aim to git you talked about —honest—I jest meant to—to please 9 you—” stammered Zach, so stunned and hutt that the bottom dropped clean from under him. “You didn’t aim! That is your great fault, Mr. Marsden—you do not aim at anything except to perpetrate boorish jokes; you do nothing worth while. No one would care, not the least in the world, if you alone suffered. But see what misery and unhappiness: your “not aiming’ has brought about. “My case is bad enough—but look at those poor circus people! Stranded in this out-of-the-way spot, every one abusing them, treating them as the scum of the earth. They are human beings—not here because they willed it, but due to the gigan- tic idiocy of your practical joke. It is not right. .““ What are you going to do? Continue EO ElOOOlkKS an (CO Wwe