ed were they in endeavoring to be
of a crowd and yet not in it.

"Shucks! There's Dr. Sterling! That I worked for last year and went
trampin' with last summer! Who'd ha' believed a _minister_ would go to
a circus!" now almost shouted Jim Barlow.

"Why, I would, laddie. I'll warrant you that every grown-up in the
town who has a child friend he can make an excuse of to bring here has
done it! Funny they should offer excuses, when there isn't a man or
woman but, at sound of a circus band, remembers their childhood and
longs to attend one once more. For myself, I prefer a good,
old-fashioned 'show' to the finest opera going. The one touches my
heart, the other my head. But here we are, and Miss Helena, I see
you're beginning to perk up, now you find yourself in such good
company."

For he had overheard that young lady, despite her morning's resolution
to "do just as the rest did and forget it was silly," remark to Mabel
Bruce in confidence that:

"If I'd known, even dreamed, that we should have to mix with such a
rabble, I should have stayed at Deerhurst!"

This was when they had had to scramble for their stage; and Mabel had
affectedly replied:

"Me too. My folks never do like to have me make myself common; and
this organdie dress will be torn to ribbons."

Seth had smiled then, overhearing, and bided his time. Well he
understood how one emotion can sway an entire crowd, and he but waited
till they should have arrived to see even these contemptuous lassies
catch the "circus spirit." So he couldn't resist this little jest at
Helena's expense, which she took now in great good nature; by then
they had come to the entrance to the big tent where the chief
performance would be given.

This entrance was guarded by a wooden stile, from which a narrow
canvas-covered passage led to the inner door. At the stile tickets
were sold, and these were in turn taken up by the collector at the end
of the passage which opened directly into the tent.

"Speaking of crowds! Was ever such another one as this!" gasped Melvin
Cook, as he found himself in the swirl of persons seeming to move in
two directions, as, indeed, they were. Then he looked around for his
friends and to his consternation saw Molly Breckenridge tossed to and
fro in a hopeless effort to extricate herself, and that she held one
of the twins by hand, till suddenly the child fell beneath the very
feet of the crowding adults.

"My baby! Oh! O-oh!" screamed Molly, and a