s really almost destitute of fear,
and was even seen to laugh when she was put upon the back of a
buck-jumper, who did his utmost to toss her off. There were always men
or women close by to catch her if she did fail to go through any of
the rings, the large paper balloons, or the other obstructions put in
her way. Her piquant little face, the bold expression of her eyes, her
fearless manner, and the unmistakable look of babyhood about her,
roused the spectators to a frenzy of admiration.

But though Diana did well and delighted Ben Holt, Orion by no means
followed her example. Put to the test, poor little Orion had little of
the real giant about him. He was an ordinary little boy, with pretty
black eyes and a good-humored, somewhat touching expression of face,
but Diana was anything but an ordinary girl.

Orion, having slipped once or twice from the back of Greased
Lightning, became terribly afraid of the beast, and always turned
white to his little lips when he was going through his exercises. As a
rule, Ben Holt always trained the novices himself, and although he was
kind to Diana, he soon began to have a thorough contempt for little
Orion.

"He's a peaky little chap," he said to his wife. "Why, he aint even
worth the twenty shillin's I paid for 'im. Now the little 'un--the
gal--there's a fortune in her; but the boy--I have no patience with
the boy."

Meanwhile, he began to use rough language and threats to the child,
and once or twice he even touched the little fellow with his great
whip. On this occasion Orion lost every scrap of nerve he possessed,
and fell flat down upon the sanded floor of the arena, shivering and
crying painfully. Diana did not happen to be present. When she was by,
small child that she was, Uncle Ben never showed at his worst, and
Orion, looking round now in vain for his sister, gave himself up for
lost.

"Now listen to me, you young villain," said the tyrant; "I'll force
you to do what I want. You get on Greased Lightning's back this very
minute."

Little Orion struggled painfully to his feet. A good-natured girl, who
stood near, tried to say a word in his favor.

"Don't you forget that he's very young, Ben Holt," she said. "It will
be all the worse for you if you are too hard on the little kid."

"I'll thank you not to give me any of your sauce, Susan Jenkins," was
the angry reply.

Susan Jenkins, a pretty, slight, fair-haired girl, who went by the
graceful name of Ariel in the c