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A Little Mother to the Others, a fiction by L. T. Meade |
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Chapter 21. Pole Star |
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_ CHAPTER XXI. POLE STAR The next day, at an early hour, the different performers had a grand rehearsal of their parts. It was a dress rehearsal. Holt was in high spirits, and Aunt Sarah, who stood just in front of the circus, petted and encouraged both Diana and Orion as much as possible. Orion felt shaky and looked very white, but the delicious thought that, after he had gone through those few minutes of agony, he might really be free to run away, to leave the dreadful, terrible circus forever, sustained him wonderfully. Diana had assured him that this could be managed. She had told him that Uncle Ben had promised that if he was a brave boy and sat well on Greased Lightning, and stood up when necessary, and, in short, went through the ordeal set him to do, without a murmur, he should be allowed to leave the circus that evening. It mattered nothing at all to little Orion that he did not know where he was to go, that he was a penniless and very small, very ignorant boy. The one object on which all his hopes were centered was the desire to get away from Uncle Ben and the terrible horses which he was forced to ride. "Now, 'member, you is to be bwave," said Diana; "you isn't to be fwightened. If you's fwightened, Uncle Ben won't let you go. You just be as bwave as possible, and never mind nobody. Now, then, it's your turn. Come 'long." Orion looked charming in his pretty dress. He wore a little sky-blue tunic, with small, tight knickers of white; his little legs and feet were bare, round his waist was a crimson girdle, and at his side was attached a toy sword. Diana wore a silk skirt and tights, her curling black hair fell partly over her forehead; her bold, black eyes were full of a strange mixture of frolic, affection, and defiance. She looked the personification of healthy life and courageous fire. In her hand she held the bow of Diana, and round her neck was slung a couple of arrows. She was a wonderfully graceful child in all her movements, and looked charming in her picturesque dress. The call for the children came, and the two bounded on the stage. The moment they did so, Diana ran up to Uncle Ben and took hold of the great whip which he carried. "You must let me do it my own way," she said; "you have pwomised. Orion won't be bwave boy if I don't manage him. Give me that whip." "Oh, but I say, little missy----" "Give me that whip," repeated Diana, flashing her eyes up at the man. "I is the gweat Diana and I order you. Give me the whip; I'll slash it; I know how. Ah, here comes G'eased Lightning. Come 'long, you beauty; come 'long, you darlin'." Diana ran fearlessly up to the horse, fondled its nose, and looked into its eyes; the creature stood perfectly still, bent its graceful head, and licked her little hand. "And it's a perfect brute to everyone else," thought Uncle Ben to himself, but this time he did not utter a word. The horse stood perfectly motionless until little Orion was mounted on its back. "Now, G'eased Lightning, you has got to be a good horse," said Diana, speaking to him in a confiding voice. "You isn't to fwighten Orion; 'member he's a giant, and it's a gweat honor for you to carry him, 'cos most times he lives up in the stars." "Come, missy, we have no time for that sort of nonsense," said Uncle Ben, who began to get impatient. "Give me back my whip." "No; I is going to slash the whip. Come, G'eased Lightning; twot, twot, p'ease." The horse began to amble gently forward. Little Diana went and stood by Uncle Ben's side. "I's managing," she said; "you shall have whip to-night; but I's managing now." The other performers stood round in breathless silence. Orion kept his seat manfully. Greased Lightning was as gentle as a lamb. "Good boy!" called out Diana; "vedy good little boy. Good horse, G'eased Lightning! you is a vedy good horse. Now then, go faster." Diana gave the whip a crack. The horse looked at her out of his big, intelligent eyes, and began to trot, but still very gently, round and round the circus. "Good boy," repeated Diana; "good horse! Now then, Orion, get up on to yous two foots; don't be fwightened. 'Member what will happen when it's over. Get up on to yous foots this minute." Poor little Orion scrambled in deadly terror on to his small feet; but the horse still went swift and smooth, neither budging nor turning to the right or the left. Diana once again cracked her whip. He went faster and faster. Orion began to lose his fear; he even laughed with excitement; the rose bloom came out on his delicate little face. The terrible hoops were brought, and the child made a manful effort to get through them. Diana cracked her whip and called out and encouraged him, and finally brought him successfully through the ordeal. He was taken off the stage wet with perspiration, and trembling all over, but at the same time he had a wild sort of triumph in his little heart. "I did it well; didn't I, Aunt Sarah?" he said. "You did it splendidly, my little love," said Aunt Sarah; "but I never did see a little gal like your sister. Oh, merciful Heavens! that man aint never a-going to let her ride Pole Star!" A black horse of immense strength and size was now brought upon the stage. This horse seemed to paw the air as he walked; his eyes were bloodshot and full of a dangerous light. "Remember it's your own fault, missy," said Uncle Ben; "this aint the 'orse I'd give you. I don't want any harm to come to you; but if you insist on that little chap, that aint a patch on you, riding Greased Lightning, why, there aint nothing for it but for you to ride Pole Star." "You don't 'uppose I's fwightened of Pole Star? Why, he's a weal beauty," said Diana. "He's the----" The man arrested the words on his lips. Diana had thrown down her whip and rushed across the stage. With just the same fearless confidence as, half an hour before, she had gone up to Greased Lightning--she now approached Pole Star. "You's pwetty, you's a darlin'," she said. She held out her tiny brown hand. "Give me a bit of sugar, somebody," she demanded. A girl who stood near ran away to fetch a lump. The child offered it to the horse. He looked at her, pawed the ground restlessly, and then, stooping, licked the sugar off her hand as tenderly as if he were a kitten. "Well, I never!" said Uncle Ben, breathing a great sigh of relief. "It's a beauty horse," repeated Diana; "I like it better nor G'eased Lightning. Pole Star, I's going to wide you; you's a dear, good horse." She stroked the creature's nose--the fierce eyes grew gentle--a moment later the child was mounted on its back. "Now, gee up, gee up!" called Diana. "P'ease, Uncle Ben, don't cwack your whip; I can manage Pole Star." She pulled at the reins, and the creature began, at first gently and then more rapidly, to run round and round the stage. After all, notwithstanding her bravery, it was an ordeal, for Pole Star could run double as fast as Greased Lightning. Soon, from running he seemed to take to flying, and little Diana gasped and lost her breath; but she sat firm as a statue, and never touched a hair of the creature's mane. "Now, Pole Star," she called out, when the horse had stopped for want of breath; "I's going to stand on you, and you must be vedy good." She patted the animal on its head; then she scrambled to her feet, and, holding the reins taut, stood firm as an arrow, while the creature once more flew round the stage. When her ride was over she had won the applause of the whole house. After this Diana and Orion were taken away to rest until the evening. They were given the best food and a great deal of petting from Aunt Sarah. As to Diana, she was in excellent spirits. "Oh, please, Di; nothing will make you stop, nothing will make you break your word?" said little Orion once to her. "What I pwomise I do," replied Diana, with dignity. And so the hours flew by, and at last the time arrived when the children were to appear before the footlights. The huge circus tent was packed to the highest gallery. There was, in short, not standing room in the audience part of the house. Uncle Ben, in the highest spirits, was darting here and there behind the wings, giving directions, gesticulating, ordering, rearranging. Little Diana flew up to him and took his hand. "What is you 'cited about?" she asked. "Is you fwightened 'bout anything?" "No, little gal, no--that is, provided you and your brother do your parts well." "We has pwomised," said Diana, with great firmness; "you needn't be fwightened; we has pwomised." The children were to appear as the last item of the first part of the performance. Uncle Ben felt that on them really turned the success of the evening. At last the crucial moment arrived. Two beautiful horses were led into the circus, and immediately afterwards little Diana, holding Orion by the hand, skipped on to the stage. She came lightly forward, almost up to the footlights, dropped a somewhat pert little courtesy, turned round, and, taking Orion's hand, danced up to where the two horses were impatiently pawing the ground. Uncle Ben, with his big whip in his hand, dressed in evening clothes, was standing at one side. A man came forward to help Diana to mount Pole Star--another gave his hand to Orion. "'Member, Orion, you has pwomised, and it all apends," said Diana, in a low, but very clear, voice. The little fellow looked at her. Her spirited action, the splendid color in her cheeks, the glow of excitement in her great big eyes, inspired him. He would not ride for those horrid people who were crowding all the seats in front, those horrid, terrible people who seemed to rise from the floor to the ceiling. He did not care anything about those faces, those cruel, staring eyes, those smiling lips; but he did care for Diana. He would ride his best for her. "Steady, G'eased Lightning," said the little girl; "you's to be good horse, 'member. Now, Pole Star, beauty, darlin', do just what Diana wants." The horses began to canter forward, going briskly and swiftly side by side. Greased Lightning's coal-black eye was fixed upon Diana as she sat on Pole Star's back. Pole Star felt the feather-weight of the hot hand on his mane, the touch of the little feet somewhere near his neck. There was a magnetic current of sympathy between the horse and the child. "Think you's a giant," she said once to Orion, as she shot past him in the race. The crowd, speechless with astonishment and delight for the first moment or two, now began to clap and cheer loudly. Crack went Uncle Ben's whip. The circus girls in the wings, the men, the clown, all watched the little pair with beating hearts. Diana they felt sure of, but what of little Orion? And yet a change had come over the child. His face was no longer pale; some of Diana's spirit seemed to have entered into his soul. The signal came for the pair to stand upon the bare, backs of their horses. Little Orion scrambled as quickly and nimbly to his feet as Diana herself. He caught the reins; crack again went the whip; the horses flew round and round. Now and then Diana said a soft word to Greased Lightning; now and then she stamped her small foot on Pole Star's neck. Each movement, each glance of the child, seemed to thrill through the willing beast. Incomprehensible as it may seem, both these wild, half-tamed creatures loved her. They kept straight, veering neither to left nor right, for her sake. The first part of the performance went safely through, but now came the more difficult and dangerous time. The children were now not only to ride the horses standing, but they were obliged to ride holding one foot in the air, then to keep on their steeds standing on tiptoe, and finally they had to spring through great rings made of tissue paper, and leap again upon the horses as they galloped through. Diana performed her task with unfailing exactness, always reaching the horse's back at the right moment, springing up, sitting down, standing first on one foot, then on the other, being apparently on wires, afraid of nothing, triumphant through all. Orion made a gallant effort to follow her example. In two minutes now the whole thing would be over. "Don't be fwightened, Orion; time's nearly up," whispered the gay, brave little voice in his ear. The horses flew, the children moved as if they were puppets, and all might now have been well if at that moment Diana herself--Diana the fearless, the brave, the unconquerable--had not slipped, slipped at the very moment when she was springing through one of the rings. The horse galloped on without her, and she lay prone upon the floor of the circus. Uncle Ben rushed madly to the rescue, and before Orion's horse had reached the spot he had caught the child in his arms. She was stunned by the fall, and lay white as death in his embrace. The house thought the fall had killed her, and there was a horrified murmur; but Diana was only stunned. In a moment she raised her cheery little voice. "I's awfu' sossy; I's all wight now," she said. "Where's Pole Star?" "Nay, little gal," said Uncle Ben, knowing well the temper of the house, "you must do no more to-night. The company, I know, will excuse you." Seating the child on his shoulder, and patting her hand affectionately, as if he were her father, he brought little Diana to the front. "I hope, ladies and gentlemen," he called out, "that you will excuse this great lady huntress to-night. But if you wish her to take another turn round on the back of the great Pole Star, she is willing to comply." "No!" shouted voice after voice in the gallery; "let little missy off. We'll come to see little missy another night. Three cheers for little missy!" The next moment Diana and Orion found themselves at the back of the stage. "Is it true, Di?" gasped Orion. "Is it all over?" "Yes; it's all over," answered little Diana. She leaned against the wall. "I's a bit giddy," she said; "but I'll be all wight by and by." Aunt Sarah, with tears in her eyes, brought the child a restorative. "Drink this, little love," she said; "you'll soon be much better, I'm sure." The curtain had fallen on the first half of the performance, and Uncle Ben came up in a huge good humor. "Missy, I hope you aint hurt," he said. "Hurt?" answered Diana. "What do a fall matter? I's as wight as wain. Didn't Orion do well, Uncle Ben?" "Yes, all things considerin'," said Uncle Ben. "We has a full house, missy, and I'm very much obliged to you. Now you had best go straight to bed. Sarah, take the kids off and give them a good supper, for they has earned it." Aunt Sarah took Diana's hand and led her to their bedroom. "But aren't we going away now?" said Orion. Aunt Sarah sat down at the foot of one of the beds with a white face. "Come to me, little missy," she said to Diana. The child went to her. "I's k'ite well," she said, "only a little giddy. Why, Aunt Sawah, you's kying." "I thought you were dead for a minute, my little miss; you that is the image of my Rachel, what the good God took from me. I thought you were dead, and it 'most broke my 'eart--oh, little missy, little darlin'!" "But, Diana, aren't we going away?" Said Orion. "You promised, and you never broke your word." "I pwomised, and I never break my word," said Diana. "Yes, Orion, yes; we is going away." "I declare," said Aunt Sarah, "I believe it would be the right thing to do. It would kill me if you was killed, missy--and them 'orses!" "They is darlin's," interrupted Diana. "Well, go to sleep now, and I'll fetch some supper," said Aunt Sarah. She shut the door behind the children, returning in a few minutes with bowls of bread and milk. Diana sat listlessly down on the nearest bench. "I's awfu' s'eepy," she said. She did not quite know what was the matter with her; it seemed as if something had suddenly knocked all her spirit away. She did not know herself without the brave spirit which God had put into her little breast. Orion gazed at her anxiously. "You do look queer," he said; "your eyes are bigger than ever, and they stare so. What's the matter, Di?" "Nothing," said Diana. "Aren't you going to eat your supper?" "I's wather sick," said Diana; "I don't want to eat. You had best eat all you can, Orion." "Yes, I had best," answered Orion, "'cos I won't have strength to run away if I hasn't plenty of food." He began to eat up his own basin of bread and milk, and, as it was not too large, he thought he might attack Diana's also; then he gave her an anxious glance. She was sitting strangely still, her hands lying idly in her lap, her eyes staring straight at the opposite wall. "'Member we is going away, and that you promised," he said. "Isn't it time for us to be off?" "Yes, Orion," she answered. "Well, drink off this teeny drop of milk; it will strengthen you." He brought the bowl to Diana, who sipped of a few spoonfuls; but then she shook her head. "I's sick," she said; "it aren't good to eat when you is sick." "Well, do come now," said Orion. "If you don't go at once they will find us; and you promised, and you never broke your word yet." "I underland," said Diana; "I would not bweak my word; that would be mean." "Well, let us go now." Diana slipped off the little bench on which she had seated herself. She was still in her circus dress; her little bow was hung at her side, her arrow slung round her neck. Orion was also in his pretty dress, with his tiny sword and belt, his blue jacket and little white knickers. "Let's put on our shoes," he said; "we can't go far in bare feet." "We can't go far in bare foots," echoed Diana, in a dreary sort of voice. "I's s'eepy. Shall we wun away in the morning, Orion?" "No; to-night! to-night!" he said, in terror. "You'll break your promise if we don't go to-night." "All wight," she answered. He brought her shoes, slipped them on her feet, buttoned them, and put on his own; then he took her hand in his. They opened the door of their bedroom and ran down a long passage, at the end of which was another door; it was on the latch. Orion opened it, and the little children found themselves at the back of the stage. There were no people about to see them, even Aunt Sarah was far away in one of the wings. "There! we is safe," said Orion. "We has runned away, and we are safe." "We has wunned away and we is safe," echoed Diana, in that dreary little voice. "But, Orion, I's drefful s'eepy." "Never mind," said Orion; "we'll sleep in the fields." "We'll s'eep in the fields," echoed Diana, in a vague manner. Orion took her hand; they ran as fast as they could down a shady lane, for the great circus tent had been put outside the town. _ |
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