Christine's look
of mute surprise and shame rested on David's face as the flap dropped
behind her.
A minute later, the humiliated ringmaster, Briggs by name, was
cracking his whip in the middle of the ring, mighty lord of all he
surveyed, although, to his chagrin, there was no clown present to
receive the attention. In those good old days the circus carried but
one clown. He was the most overworked man in the ring, but he had the
satisfaction of knowing that he was the solitary idol of thousands.
Grinaldi did not accompany the tumblers to the ring. The lone elephant
that graced the show and the horses had been led out for the "lofty
somersault men" to vault over after the run down the "spring board";
that part of the dressing-tent in which Braddock stood was now clear
of humanity, except for his wife, the clown and David Jenison.
"Well, he knows I don't permit swearing in front of my daughter," said
Braddock, resenting the unspoken scorn in his wife's face. "Let's see
that envelope," he added roughly.
She held the coveted package behind her back, shaking her head
resolutely.
"How do I know there's five hundred in it?" he demanded.
Pages:
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78