manager. "He's darned square even if he is a parson." Barker turned
away. He was not a bad-hearted man, but he was irritated and upset at
losing the star feature of his bill.

"Ain't this my dod-gasted luck?" he muttered to himself, as his eye
again travelled to the boss canvas-man. "You get out a' here, Jim," he
shouted, "an' start them wagons. The show's got to go on, Poll or no
Poll."

He turned with his hand on the door-knob and jerked out a grudging
thanks to the pastor. "It's all fired good of you to take her in," he
said, "but it's tough to lose her. Good night!" He banged the door and
clattered down the steps.

Jim waited. He was trying to find words in which to tell his gratitude.
None came; and he turned to go with a short "good-bye!"

"Good night, Jim," said the pastor. He crossed the room and took the big
fellow's hand.

"Much obliged," Jim answered gruffly. It was his only polite phrase, and
he had taught Polly to say it. Douglas waited until Jim had passed down
the steps, then turned to Toby, who still lingered near the table.

"You'll tell her how it was, me and Jim had to leave her without sayin'
'good-bye,' won't you, sir?" Toby pleaded.

"Yes, indeed," Douglas promised.

"I'll jes' put this little bit o' money into her satchel." He picked up
the little brown bag that was to have been Polly's birthday gift. "Me
an' Jim will be sendin' her more soon."

"You're going to miss her, I'm afraid," Douglas said, feeling an
irresistible desire to gain the old man's confidence.

"Lord bless you, yes, sir," Toby answered, turning upon him eagerly.
"Me an' Jim has been father an' mother and jes' about everythin' to that
little one. She wan't much bigger'n a handful of peanuts when we begun
a-worryin' about her."

"Well, Mandy will do the worrying now," Douglas laughed. "She's been
dying for a chance to mother somebody all along. Why, she even tried it
on me."

"I noticed as how some of those church people seemed to look kinder
queer at me," said Toby, "and I been a-wonderin' if mebbe they might
feel the same about her."

"Oh, they're all right," Douglas assured him; "they'll be her friends in
no time."

"She's fit for 'em, sir," Toby pleaded. "She's good, clean into the
middle of her heart."

"I'm sure of it," Douglas answered.

"I've heard how some church folks feels towards us circus people, sir,
and I jes' wanted ye to know that there ain't finer families, or better
mothers or fathers or gr