The circus man nodded. "Two."

"Wouldn't she--" Norah's voice was trembling almost beyond the power of
speech--"wouldn't she go to them if you showed them to her--put them in
the small cage? My--old cat would!"

"By the powers!" said the proprietor. "Fetch 'em, Dick--run." The clown
ran, his grotesque draperies contrasting oddly enough with his errand.

In an instant he was back, two fluffy yellow heaps in his arms. One
whined as they drew near the cage, and the lioness looked up sharply
with a growl. The clown held the cubs in her view, and she growled
again, evidently uneasy. Beneath her the man was quiet now.

"The cage--quick?"

The big lion cage, its open door communicating with the ring, stood
ready. The clown opened another door and slipped in the protesting cubs.
They made for the further door, but were checked by the stout cords
fastened to their collars. He held them in leash, in full view of the
lioness. She growled and moved, but did not leave her prey.

"Make 'em sing out!" the woman said sharply. Someone handed the clown an
iron rod sharpened at one end. He passed it through the bars, and
prodded a cub on the foot. It whined angrily, and a quick growl came
from the ring.

"Harder, Dick!"

The clown obeyed. There was a sharp, amazed yelp of pain from the cub,
and an answering roar from the mother. Another protesting cry--and then
again that yellow streak as the lioness left her prey and sprang to her
baby, with a deafening roar. The clown tugged the cubs sharply back into
the recesses of the cage as the mother hurled herself through the narrow
opening. Behind her the bars rattled into place and she was restored to
captivity.

It was the work of only a moment to rush into the ring, where the tamer
lay huddled and motionless. Kind hands lifted him and carried him away
beyond the performance tent, with its eager spectators. The attendants
quickly unharnessed the two tame lions, and they were removed in another
cage, brought in by the elephant for their benefit.

Norah slipped a hot, trembling hand into her father's.

"Let's go, Daddy--I've had enough."

"More than enough, I think," said Mr. Linton. "Come on, little girl."

They slipped out in the wake of the anxious procession that carried the
tamer. As they went, a performing goat and monkey passed them on their
way to the ring, and the clown capered behind them. They heard his
cheerful shout, "Here we are again!" and the laughter of the crowd