simulated the ringmaster to make announcements from the center
ring. It was a feature all right, seeing a little guy doing a big
man's job.

"Oh I'll make 'em hear all right, but what they are to hear is the
problem. To the midget stuff I thought I would add a few paragraphs
about circus people, the different kinds and what they do. The general
public never contacts the real circus people, just the ticket takers,
ushers, and roustabouts. They never meet the managers and performers.
And because grafters, shilabers, and skin-game artists follow
circuses, the public thinks these are a part of it. It's only fair to
circus people that this connection be denied."

"Why, I didn't know that," exclaimed Adine, "I just supposed the
grafters were a part of it. Here I am, learning a lot of things and
school not yet started. Anyhow, I'm going to buy a ticket for Mrs.
Carmody and inveigle her to the entertainment. She said circus people
ought not be allowed to participate in a church benefit.

"Now you are to come over here Saturday morning. Bring Landy with you,
as we can all three ride to Adot in my roadster. There, we will lay
the top back, and with you between us, sitting up on the back cushion,
we'll parade the town. The door opens at seven o'clock. Performance
begins at seven-thirty. Then we come back here for the night and you
can ride home Sunday morning. You can talk for an hour if you want to,
but you should speak for thirty minutes at least."

10

"Are you going to live here always?" asked Davy as he slid down off
the dictionary and chair at the end of the conference. "What I mean is
this, Adine," he added, noting the girl's questioning look. "Are you
going to spend your life out here in the sticks, with cattle, horses,
and a few yokels that you have to ride miles and miles, before you see
two of 'em together?"

"Why, this is my home, I belong here, the same as other young people
live with their folks," replied the girl, somewhat startled by the
abruptness of the question. "I haven't planned to shift pastures, as
grandaddy would say. Why are you asking such an abrupt, personal
question?"

"Well, it is sorta personal and rather abrupt," agreed the midget in
an appeasing tone. "I should have made the approach with more finesse.
Abruptness is one of my defects. But now that I've blundered in, I'd
just as well finish. You don't belong out here in the wide open
spaces, in these sparse settlements. You belong i