The Rose in the Ring

ime were they free from the curious gaze of the people who filled the place, a noisy bumptious crowd of country people making the most of a holiday. The glamour was over them. Some one had recog

ve. He managed it so that the conversation was carried on almost entirely by the two men. Now and then the three palpably unwilling guests were drawn into it, but with such subtlety on the part of their host that they were surprised into a momentarily active participation. Thomas Braddock, cleanly shaven and rather uncomfortably neat as to the matter of linen,

hristine seldom looked up from her plate. She sat next to David. He felt the restraint and embarrassment under which the girl suffered. Her cheek went red on more than one occasion when her father's coarse humor offended her delicate sensibilities; she paled under the veiled, insinuating compliment

of the woman beside him. His long, white fingers fumbled with an unused spoon beside her plate. Once she had hitc

as saying in his oiliest tones. "Birds of a feather, you know

ed a cigar regardless of the waiter's polit

g for home to-night, but I expect to return in two or three days. You must all join hands in breaking me into the circus business. Don't let me be a-what is it you call it?

as almost purple; the look in his eyes was not of anger, but of a shame that sprung from what little there was of manh

e pickpocket made no attempt to speak to them, but when his eye

ining that he was obliged to loo

ped behind, for the narrow sidewalk was crowded. In this fashion they made their way to the show grounds. Mrs. Braddock and Christine did not once look behi

ears of indignation were still standing in Christine's eyes. He willfully misinterpreted their si

ne; it is only for a

e's face

ay!" she cried in angry astonishment. "

on so nicely. Pray control yourself, my dear. I had no idea

eyes dilated. It was the first time h

ied, her breast heavin

ectedly. "I have much

idered, and abruptly turned away, drawing C

l tamers are entirely competent. What we need here is a tamer for vicious and ungentle bipeds. There is a way to tame them, just as there is a way to break the spirit of the lion or the ti

choking voice. "You may do what you like with

is hand. David seemed t

k after the ladies. They will be absolutely safe while you are with them. There is a distinct advantage in having a

raddock was strik

e risk of a court-martial, my lad. It occurs to me that an uncle of yours has had an experience of that-but, never mind. Y

hasis; the smooth oily tone was gone. There

e could only look the hatred that welled in his heart. But down in that

, aristocratic face for a moment. A

e smart, you'll make the most of her. You ought to thank me instead of-ah, but I see you do thank me." He willfully m

f you. I can go back home-to jail-with my head up and my heart clean, if you choose to send me there. I am not afraid of even that. But I am afraid of something else. That is why I am ready to bear your insults, to humble myself, to submit to your-your commands. Not

he Colonel standing there, a flu

few minutes later, "I

t takes me a yea

ck, rolling his cigar over u

t sass, as you call it," s

the other, perplexed. Remembering David's money,

I don't want you to d

rsta

ood company for Christie, too. Tony sort of a chap, ain't he?

iently. "You keep him here, that's all. When I'm through wit

to observe him. At last, when his cigar was chewed to a pulp and the night's performance was half over, light broke in upon him. He fancied th

"I wonder what's got into Dick Cronk. He's too blamed good, all of a sudden. That brother of his might try the job, but-no, he'd bungle it. Besides, he'd probably stick a knife into Davy if the kid made a motion." He began chewing a fresh cigar; his pop-eyes were leve

ably with the leading men and women in his company; the fact that he removed the cigar from his lips while conversing with Ruby Noakes and the Iron-jawed Woman, created no little amazement in them. He was especially gentle with his wife, and superlatively so with his daughter, both of whom were slow to show the slightest

more afraid of him than she had been in all her life. This new mood suggested some vague, undefinable trouble for her mother. The girl's rapidly developing estimate of her father was taki

, nervous glances about the small apartment escaped the notice of the men who were changing their apparel. To his own disgust, a cold pers

s. David's "pile" was close to the outside wall of the tent. Braddock marked its location in respect to a certain side pole. He began to tremble; a weakness fell upon him; the resolution partly formed in the big tent, and wh

ving the tent, he strolled off toward the ticket wagon, carefully noting the position of the men who were loading the menagerie tent for the

he band struck up the tune that signified much to his present venture,-the tune heralding the approach of the entire company of male

ing to steal David's money. His purpose was an honest one, or so his conscience had been resolutely convinced. He meant to surreptitiously borrow the idle money, that was all. Toward the end of the season, when he

estions and they troubled him. But above these questions throbbed a still greater one-the one that made hi

dock. In all his experience with circus performers he had never known one of them to steal; somewhat irrelevantly

stand of the thing called honor as it applied to whiskey-soaked Tom Braddock. Then he shot forward across the black shadows to th

he turned pale and his eyes narrowed with suspicion. For an instant he per

ater, taking the clown asi

Joey. "'Ave

been s

"Don't say that, Jacky. It

ng is slashed

clown. "Why-why, there ain't nobody 'ere a

was very white and his eyes were hea

Something darted into his mi

u don't

art beats. Casey said he-the man came in here for half an hour-I can't believe he is a thief! Joey, t

perspiration fr

meaning. By Gripes, he's sinking pretty lo

e me was so queer, so ferocious, that I turned away; I couldn't understand it. But I do now, Joey. It's as clear as day to me. He had discovered that inst

ckle. "He's wondering where the balance of it is. H

I noticed that he never took his eyes off me. He was watching to see if I had an

zy mad, Jacky, we've got to keep our eyes peeled, you and me-and another pusson, too. We got

He was thinking of Colonel Bob Grand and wondering what magic influence he had exercised over the boy to compel him to deliver so much money i

as dead drunk in the alley back of the hotel bar, having firs

s, the center of a group of performers, held together by his wonderful tale concerning the sensational bit of pocketpicking that had occurred early in the

tered up to the group, coming, it seemed, from

irily. "You guys will get rust on your joints if you stay

n, as if he o

the devil some day, if he ke

vid, he doffed his derby gallantly. To this knowing chap there was something significant in the dreary, half-hearted

o something,

veral of the women, was all-enveloping. Ruby's dark eyes looked a

ed Woman pityingly. She addressed the reflection to Rub

fallen upon them. He understood and appreciated their lack of interest in anything but their own unexpressed thoughts. As for himself, he was sick at heart over the discovery he had mad

s father w

some mysterious telepathic agency. Even in the shadows her face was adorable. He could not see her dark eyes, but he knew they were troubled and afraid

e of the fitness of things had kept him from uttering one word of love to this young, trusting, unconscious girl. He was very young-stupidly young, he felt-but he was old enough to know

. A particularly noisy but amiable group approached them from the opposite direction. Christine nervously clutched David's arm. She came very close to him. He was thrilled by the contact. After the revelers had lurched by

impulsively gave utterance to the hungr

Hall! I could ask you and Christine to come there and s

ried Mrs. Bradd

e!" he cri

istine in a low, wistful voice. It seemed to him that the

good you are, David. What would your friends thi

Braddock, include the circus people you mention.

ified to see a smile on her lips. The light from a wind

alf-averted face. He was moved by sudden apprehension. Was she beginning to suspect the real attitude

you to know that I am terribly distressed by what has taken place in-in your life. I know you hate

r eyes were ful

e or happiness here. Why don't you give i

r hand on his arm, "you don'

" he went on ruthlessly. "I know i

rupted hi

talking to you

oey Grinaldi. He is your best,

him at her mother's averted face. The girl

he mean? Isn't-isn't your father dead? What

ernation. Mrs. Braddock hesitated for a moment,

o, Christine, my father is not dead. Be patient,

oved by the horrid fear that there was some dark secret in he

my d