th. The sight of
Inza's bruised face and limp form upheld by Merriwell seemed to blur her
brain again. She caught at the arm of the student who was holding her,
and by a great effort kept her senses.

"Is she dead, Frank?" she whispered.

"No!" he answered. "I don't know how much she may be hurt, though."

The tiger had ceased to struggle, the crowds were writhing, a babel of
sound that was confused and confusing filled the air. The circus
procession had come to a halt, with the exception of the forward band,
which was blaring away far down the street.

A doctor came out of the crowd. Other doctors proffered their services,
for Inza was not the only one who had been knocked over by the rush of
the horses. The injured tiger-keeper was picked up and bundled into an
ambulance.

"Right across here!" said the doctor who had answered Merriwell's call.
Then he led the way into an apothecary's.

"Nothing serious!" he announced, a minute later, when he had made his
examination. "The young lady will be all right in a day or two."

He spoke of Inza, and both Merry and Elsie sent up fervent sighs of
relief.

* * * * *

Coming softly into the room which Elsie Bellwood occupied, Inza Burrage
saw Elsie in tears.

"What is it, dear?" Inza asked, going up and putting her arms about
Elsie's neck.

Except for a telltale bit of courtplaster, Inza showed no sign of the
dangerous and exciting experiences through which she had that day
passed.

"Don't! don't!" Elsie pleaded, with a little shiver. "If you knew what
was in my heart you wouldn't speak to me, Inza Burrage!"

"Why, dear? Why wouldn't I speak to you--you who have proved yourself
the most heroic and courageous girl in all New Haven?"

"It wasn't courage half so much as it was fright. And if you knew the
thoughts I had!"

Inza kissed her.

"What?"

Elsie turned on her a horrified face.

"Inza, when I saw you knocked down by that horse, the awful wish came
into my heart that you might be killed. And even when I saw the tiger
about to leap on you, I couldn't drive that thought away. I have been
hating you in a way that I never thought I could hate anybody! You see,
I began to fear that you were trying to come between me and Frank; and
if you had been--killed--there--would--have--been--an--end--of--that!"

"But you rushed between me and the tiger. And you fought the beast with
that goad. You, a girl, standing between me and such a