The Rose in the Ring

bering "tableau" wagons used for the transportation of canvas and perishable properties. The boss canvasman, not the hardened brute that he appeared to be, ha

the van; and there would have been no air had not the driver of the four-ho

nder the very noses of his pursuers, so to speak. Somewhat dazed and hal

tuteness he and his companion resolved that they could accomplish nothing by working openly: their only chance lay in the ability to keep the circus people from knowing that they were following them. In this they counted without their hosts. At no time during the next three days were their movements unknown to the clever band of rascals who followed the show for evil purposes, and who, with perfect integrity, kept the proprietor advised of every step taken and of eve

s. He was vaguely conscious of the sombre rumbling of the huge wagon and of the regular clicking of the wheel-hubs, so characteristic of the circus caravan and so dear to the heart of every boy. H

slept under cover on the pole wagons, on top of the seat wagons, or in stretchers swung beneath the property wagons or cages. Others, still more fortunate, slept in property or trunk vans, or in the band chariots. The leading performers and officials, including all of the women, traveled by train. The gamblers, pickpockets and fakirs got along as best they could from town to town by stealing pass

il. Such men as Yankee Robinson, Cole and even P. T. Barnum traveled by wagon road until that brave attempt was made. The railroad was soon to solve the "bad roads" problem for all of them. Short jumps would no longer be necessary; profitable cities could be substituted for the small towns that every circus had to make on acco

of this, David slept as if drugged. Daybreak came; the ghostly wagon train slipped from darkness into the misty light of a new "day." Cocks were crowing afar and near, and birds were chirping in the bushes at the roadside. Out of the somb

. It was something of an epoch in the lives o

agons-all slipped down the road and over the hill, strange, unusual objects that came but onc

up no lamentations; their lives may have been hard and unpromising, but lightly in their hearts swam the blissful conviction that they were superior to the envious yokels who gaped at them from fence corners and barnyards since the first dreary streak of dawn crept into the skies. A sha

hitched up their teams and flocked to town in the wake of the peril, there to marvel and delight in the very things that had awed th

men and horses swarmed in and about them; curious crowds of early risers stood afar off and gazed. The rhythmic pounding of iron stakes, driven down by four precise sledge-men came to his ears from all sides; the jangling of trace-chains; the creaking of wagons and the whine of pulle

bewilderment, vastly interested in the great transformation. Under

tarted in sudden alarm. A rough-looking fellow in

r." That was all. He jerked his head in the direction of the long, low tent in the cor

odor of frying things and the aroma of strong coffee. The clatter of tin pans and cups, the rattle of pewter knives and forks and the commands of

these men, he was happily disappointed. They looked at him with sullen, indifferent eyes and went on bolting the breakfast. Some of them were half naked; all of them were dirty and reeking with perspi

steaming coffee on to the table and said in a h

d corn-bread across his shoulder and ad

not served. He was hungry. The coarse but well-cooked food pleased his palate more than he could have believed. He ate his fill of the "chuck," as his neighbo

ta keep under cover fer a spell. Stay in there 'tel J

ment. "Where is Mrs.

to learn the business? If you are, I got some fishworm oil that's jest the thing to limber up yer joints. In two weeks, if you

r," he said, with a wry smile a

se, have you got any che

?" murmu

r plug, I d

tobacco," said

obert Reed, eh? Well, hop inside there. I gotta

th the driver's seat. For a while he sat with his back against the wall, pondering the situation. Then, almost without warning, sle

place, and hurried to the end of the wagon to peer out through the slit. Bands were playing, whips were cracking and children were shrieking joyously. It was a lon

y more sophisticated city brethren with something of the worldly scorn that dominated the "profession." Even the horses that drew the "Gorgeous chariots of gold" eyed the gaping crowds with profound pity. There is nothing in all this world so incredibly haughty as a circus, from tent-peg to proprietor. Perhaps you who read this have f

ar ahead of the parade a loud-voiced "barker" rode, warning all people to look out for their horses: "The elephant is coming!" Just to show their utter lack of poise, at least fifty farm nags, in super-equine terror, leaped out of their harness

Braddock looked in. Directly behind the proprietor was the dirty sidewall of a tent

d down with the movement of his lips. "Come out. You c

en raised by a canvasman. Braddock followed him into the huge tent. A small army of men were e

in his pockets and a short briar pip

into a hundred wrinkles by way of friendly greeting. "Oh, I say, Dav

i, the clown, without his make-up or his wig

g outright in the ecstasy of reli

well settle what's to be done about you. I've thought it over seriously. I'm taking a risk in havin' you around, understand that. But if you want a job with th

be a clown-

ride around in carriages and live on goose liver? Say, where do you think you ar

in the boy's pale face. "Don't talk like that. 'E's not

night? I'm not going to have anybody carryin' a wad around like that and gettin' it nabbed and then settin' up a roar against the show, g

plessly to Joey

th 'im, too, Brad," ann

and daughter if you do stay with us. Remember one thing: you're a cheap clown, and you've got to know your place. My daughter

boy and you ought to treat 'im decent. He's got just as good blood in 'im as Christie's got-and better, blow me, because it's probably

o insinuate that she

emble. Much as he trust

le to comprehend the

r. There was no trace o

than that," said

f he had intended to say more, he changed his mind and walked off toward the

er him. "She's the finest woman in the world. And

of it and puzzling his

he happen

o business. I advise you to stick to the show for awhile-at least until we're a good ways off. Take up 'is offer. It ain't bad. You can 'ave chuck with me and Ruby. I'll look out for that. You just do wot I tell you, and you'll be a clown. Not a real one, but good enough to earn two and a 'arf. I'm not doin' this for you, my boy, because I think I n

s you say," sai

s end of the cook-tent. It's all right there. I'll fetch yours into the dressin'-tent for you, so's you won't be seen. There's my daughter over there. Ain't she a stunner? Say, she's a gal as is a gal

e and the harlequin and the pantaloon in Drury Lane one boxing week whe

e added hastily, "it ain't likely you

first appearance, when he was driven by another fear. Ruby Noakes, black-eyed and dashing, winked at him saucily from her perch on the high trapez

ny you are," she said, pa

the animal tent. Sure enough, Blake was standing at the end of the tier of seats, talking with Tho

followed instructions blindly but faithfully, barking his shins twice and tripping over an equestrian banner once

g his elbow in earnest. "Go

ou were to break your neck

mother, who persistently though vainly opposed a ring career for her loved one, comp

her at the edge of the ring while Briggs, the ringmaster, announced the approach of "the world-famed child marvel

nough for 'im, it's good enough for 'is offspring, says he. Her mother just had to give in to 'im. Well, when she was about ten, Brad took to drinking. That was before he bought old Van Slye out. One day he fell off the 'oss with 'er and broke 'is arm. Fort'nitly, the younker wasn't 'urt. So, then he had sense enough to listen to 'is wife. He quit riding 'isself, but he put big Tom Sacks into the act in 'is place. Tom is the present Mons. Dupont-a fine feller and as steady as can be. He's powerful strong and a fairish

vid, following the slim, sca

e of them particular. It was called 'The Rose and the Ring.' I never see Christine in them togs without thinking of the name of that book-The Rose and

He's more alive now than ever. 'The Rose and

Joey approvingly

sturdy Tom Sacks, sometimes standing upright on his shoulders, again leaning far out from his thigh, or even more daringly dancing on his broad back while he squatted on the pad. First on one foot, then the other, then clear of his back with both of them

ry-like little creature with the eyes of a delighted spectator and not as a clown. He guiltily looked for a reprimand from Grinaldi. To his surprise and disappointment she passed him by without a sign of recognition, slippin

is protege. "You mustn't expect the ladies to stop and chat with you in the ri

d up," listening meanwhile to the congratulations and the good-natured chaffing of the performers who were there with him. Despite their ribald scoffing, he knew they were

vast distinction that lay between these men and the kind David had known all of his life. And David saw that he was trying to make it easy for him. His heart swelled with a strange gratitude; he unbent suddenly and met the rough

avid was soon to fall under the spell of this bland comradeship: he was to see these men in a light so bright that it blinded him to their vulgarities, their quaint blasphemy and their prodigious lack of veracity as applied t

-which did not become him,-"you gotta change your name. What'll we call him, fellers?

said old Joey, his eye

ly together that they

amed 'im this morning

name is Snip

hy did she call m

e if I'd ever seen a jack-snipe on a wet, dreary day, a-standing on a sandbar, all alone like and forlorn. She said she a

ing,'" said C

on, so from now on you are just Jack Snipe." He lowered his voice. "There wo

," he said, after a pause, "that every pe

life they do

I am wan

's that got t

hink I'm-I

onist blandly. "But," he added in some haste, "the

I can't bear to think that every one is looking upon me as a criminal

ht as if you was a reg'lar angel. For the fust time since I've knowed all of them women, they are all agreed on one thing: they all agree that you

, his eyes bright with the eagerness to look once more upon the st

as she saw him she smiled and motioned for him to join the group. He was not slow to obey the summons. To the amazement of the interested group t

the riders, the ropewalker, the snake-charmer and the boneless wonder. David was profoundly polite, almost old-fashioned in his acknowledgment of the introduction.

asked David, turning to Mrs

was with palpable uneasiness. "My daughter us

ed red. He remembered wha

ickly, driven by humiliation. She looked steadily into his eyes without speaking and then walked away from the grou

a little while he will forget that he has-has said certain things. Then, I hope that you and Christine will be good friends. I-I wa

lightened. "I know what you me

flamed with sudden fervor; he was struck by the almost pathetic eagerness that leaped into her eyes, transfiguring them. "I have tried so hard to give her something of what I had myself, David,

you," he said

ick breath of joy and gratitude. She thanked him very gently, very gr

show until the end of this season. I am determined that it

ce knew what she meant. The cost, if nec

er daughter had come back to her with glowing reports of his composure and cleverness. Da

All the color, all the eagerness left her face in a flash; the warmth died out in her big brown eyes and in its stead appeared a look of positiv

nger and drink. At his side walked a tall, exceedingly well-dressed stranger, who

in the half-whispered sentence, which was so low that it barely reached his ears. He looked

to David, qui

feared than Thomas Braddock himself. Instinctively the boy experien

ter him as he paused at the partitio

ure of Mary Braddock. Her chin was high in the air, and Da

p in the partition he surve