kenheim
is the man that tattooed Mr. Enderbury so beautiful, but poor Mr.
Enderbury has never been able to pay him in full."

Philo Gubb arose.

"I am going to telegraph Mr. Medderbrook to come on to West Higgins
immediately by the three P.M. afternoon train," he said, "and you will
meet him as your paternal father and arrange to make your home with
him as soon as you desire to wish it."

* * * * *

At five o'clock that afternoon, Mr. Medderbrook, escorted by Mr. Gubb,
entered the side-show tent. The lady and gentlemen freaks were resting
before evening grub, and all were gathered around Syrilla's platform,
for the news that she was to leave the show to enter a home of wealth
and refinement had spread quickly. Syrilla herself was in tears. Now
that the time had come she was loath to part from her kind companions.

"I tell you, Mr. Gubb," Mr. Medderbrook said, as they entered the
side-show, "if you have indeed found my daughter you have made me a
happy man. You cannot know how lonesome my life has been. Now, which
is she?"

"She is the female lady in the pink satin dress on that platform,"
said Mr. Gubb.

Mr. Medderbrook looked toward Syrilla and gasped.

"Why, that--that's the Fat Woman! That's the Fat Woman of the
side-show!" he exclaimed. "I thought--I--why, my daughter wouldn't be
a Fat Woman in a side-show!"

"But she is," said Mr. Gubb.

"Great Scott!" exclaimed Mr. Medderbrook.

For years Mr. Medderbrook had retained a memory of his daughter
as he had seen her last, a tender babe in long clothes. As he rode
toward West Higgins, however, he had thought about his daughter and
he had revised his conception of her. She was older now, of course,
and he had finally settled the matter by deciding that she would be
a dainty slip of a girl--probably a tight-rope walker or one of the
toe-dancers in the Grand Spectacle, or perhaps even engaged as the
Ten-Thousand-Dollar Beauty. But a Fat Lady! Mr. Medderbrook walked
toward Syrilla. Every eye in the tent was upon him. There was utter
silence except for Syrilla's happy sobbing.

"Shess!" said a voice suddenly. "You bet I vos here! Und I vant my
money! Years I haf been collecding dot bill, und still you owe me. Now
I come, and you pay me all vot you owe or I make troubles!"

The voice came from outside the tent, and with surprising agility
Detective Gubb dived under the platform and wriggled under the canvas
wall.

"I don't owe