e.

"He--he just talked to the big 'un, and went out that way." Elverson
nodded toward the wagons.

"I guess he ain't gone far," sneered Strong. "He come over to this lot
to see her, and he ain't goin' ter give up till he does it. You wait
here; I'll take a look round." He went quickly in the direction of the
wagons.

Elverson needed no second invitation to wait. He was congratulating
himself upon his good fortune, when he all but collided with a flying
apparition, vanishing in the direction of the main tent. Sophisticated
eyes would have seen only a rather stout acrobat clad in pink tights;
but Elverson was not sophisticated, and he teetered after the flitting
angel, even unto the forbidden portals of the "big top."

He was peeping through the curtains which had fallen behind her, and was
getting his first glimpse of the great, sawdust world beyond, when one
of the clowns dashed from the dressing tent on his way to the ring.

The clown was late. He saw the limp coat tails of the deacon, who was
three-quarters in the tent. Here was a chance to make a funny entrance.
He grabbed the unsuspecting little man from the rear. The terrified
deacon struck out blindly in all directions, his black arms and legs
moving like centipede, but the clown held him firmly by the back and
thrust him, head foremost, into the tent.

Strong returned almost immediately from his unsuccessful search for the
pastor. He looked about the lot for Elverson.

"Hey, there, Elverson!" he called lustily. There was no response.

"Now where's he got to," grumbled Strong. He disappeared quickly around
the corner of the dressing tent, resolved to keep a sharp lookout for
Douglas.

Elverson was thrust from the tent soon after, spitting sawdust and
much discomfited by the laughing performers who followed him. His knees
almost gave way beneath him when Barker came out of the ring, snapping
his long, black whip.

"Get out of here, you bloke!" roared Barker. And Elverson "got."

No one had remembered to tell the groom that Polly was not to ride
to-night. So Bingo was brought out as usual, when their "turn"
approached.

"Take him back, Tom," Polly called from the entrance, when she learned
that Bingo was waiting, "and bring Barbarian. I'm not going on to-night.
Eloise is going to ride in my place."

This was the second time to-day that Bingo had been led away without
going into the ring. Something in his big, wondering eyes made Polly
follow him an