being still alone, standing in the middle of the cage, eagerly
looking out for his master. Brinton threw one of the pieces down in the
middle of the floor, and the beast pounced on it as only a wild beast
can, holding it between his paws as he gluttonously devoured it--not
with a lateral movement of the jaws, but cat-like--amid half stifled,
threatening growls, with menacing eyes turned from time to time toward
the tamer. What the tamer then did was the most extraordinary
performance which Rounders had ever seen, and sent thrills of admiration
down his spinal column.

Brinton calmly approached the ferocious animal feeding, and took away
from it the half finished piece of meat, and as he did so the beast
growled, but submitted! After which he waved the half consumed beef in
the air and bowed, amid great applause, in which Rounders heartily
joined. Then the tamer said:

"Brutus, you have behaved so well I shall reward you with another
piece."

Which he did, the beast seizing it and gorging himself as before. At
this point the master of the ring stepped forth again as the tamer
disappeared, and said:

"Ladies and gentlemen, when you recollect how difficult it is to take a
bone away from even a pet dog, it will give you some idea of the
marvellous performance you have just witnessed. It will be repeated
to-morrow during the day and evening."

"This is a real show," said Rounders, wound up to enthusiasm. "But how
does he do it?" This was the question which at once presented itself,
and thereafter gave him no peace. With this perplexing inquiry was
mingled a deep and abiding admiration. He was brought to a determination
to which he had been moving for two or three years. In a word, he
decided then and there to enter the vocation. He sought the man who had
sent the tingling, shivering sensation down his vertebrae, and explained
that he wanted to go with him on any terms and in any capacity.

Brinton had taken off his professional gear, and was undistinguishable
from the sombre mass of his fellow citizens. He was out on the open
space near the great tent, looking abstractedly at a man blowing with
distended cheeks into a lung-testing machine. Rounders stood before him
with the respect due to a man who snatches meat away from a ferocious
lion.

After going through his work with the beasts, Brinton was usually tired
and somewhat indifferent to the ordinary affairs of life. Other things
seemed pale after the emotions of t