When Christine was seven, he insisted that she should work
with 'im in the ring. He 'ad 'is way. They made a sensation with Van
Slye's show and stuck to 'im for six years straight, allus drawing
good pay. Mary went with them everywhere, never missing a performance,
allus scairt to death on account of the gal. I think nearly all of the
last five years of her life 'ave been spent in wishing that Tom would
fall off and break 'is own neck, but he couldn't do it very well
without breakin' the kid's, too, so she didn't know wot to do. Then he
got to drinking so 'ard that he did fall off, 'urting 'imself purty
bad. After that he give it up, buying a share in Van Slye's show, and
letting Christine do 'er work with Tom Sacks. Mrs. Braddock would give
anything she's got in the world if she could get Christine out of the
business and settled down in their own 'ome in Baltimore. Just to show
you wot drink does for Brad, he pays Christine a good salary every
week for riding and then insists on taking it back so's he can put it
in the savings bank for 'er. He spends every penny of it for drink and
he--"
"Sh!" came in a warning hiss from Ruby Noakes, whose quick, black eyes
had caught sight of a figure approaching from the big top.
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