on't do. I can't risk doing tricks up
at the top of the tent on a cracked bar. It might hold, and again it
might not."

He tried the cracked bar in his hands. It gave a little, but seemed
fairly strong.

"I wonder if I could get another," mused Joe. "Guess I'd better try."

He walked over to where the Lascalla Brothers stood near their
apparatus.

"What's the matter?" asked Sid, seeing Joe trailing the broken trapeze
after him.

"This bar is cracked. It's my short trapeze that I fasten to the big
one. I used it just now to hold the door so the lioness wouldn't get
out, and the wood is cracked. I was wondering if you had a spare one
like this."

"We have!" exclaimed Tonzo quickly. "Get the little short one--the one
with the silk coverings on the ropes," he said to Sid. "Joe can use
that."

"I'll be back with it in a second," Sid stated, as he hurried off to
the dressing tent, for it was nearly time for the performance to begin.
Sid returned presently with another trapeze.

At this moment Helen came in with her horse, Rosebud, for she was about
to do her act.

"What's the matter, Joe?" asked Helen, for she knew that at this point
in the performance he ought to be on the other side of the tent doing
his act.

"Oh, I cracked a trapeze bar," Joe replied, as he stepped up beside the
girl and patted Rosebud. "Sid is going to get me another. Here he
comes now with it."

At the sight of the trapeze the circus man was bringing up, Helen was
conscious of a strange feeling. She saw the silk-covered ropes, and
the recollection of that scene in the tent came vividly to her.

"I guess this will do you, Joe," remarked Sid, holding out the trapeze.
"It's the only one we have like yours."

"Thanks," responded the young performer. "That will do nicely. I've
got to hustle now and----"

Joe turned away, but became aware that Helen was leaning down from the
saddle and whispering to him.

"Joe! Joe!" she exclaimed, making sure the Lascalla Brothers could not
hear her, for they were On the other side of Rosebud. "Joe, don't use
the trapeze!"

"Why not?"

"Because I'm sure that's the one I saw those two men 'ripening,' as
they call it. They had pulled back the silk cover, and were pouring
something on the rope. Look at it before you use it. Be careful!"

Then she flicked Rosebud with the whip and rode into the ring to do her
act amid a blare of trumpets. Joe stood there, holding the trapeze.
The tw