ged the whole incident for the
stage."

"Do you mean that I fell down on purpose?"

"I mean that you were laughing up your sleeve all the time. You weren't
hurt and you knew it."

Her expression was enigmatical. "You think then that I arranged to fall
down and risk breaking my bones for the sake of having you pick me up?"
she asked demurely.

Put so plainly the fact sounded embarrassing, if not incredible. "I
think you fell for the fun of it. I think also that you didn't for a
second risk breaking your bones. You are too nimble for that."

"I ought to be," she retorted daringly, "since I was born in a circus."

Surprised into silence, he studied her with a regard in which admiration
for her courage was mingled with blank wonder at her recklessness. If
she had inherited her father's gift of expression, she appeared to
possess also his dauntless humour. For an instant Stephen felt that her
gaiety had entered into his spirit; and while his impression of her
danced like wine in his head, he answered her in her own tone of mocking
defiance.

"Well, everything that is born in a circus isn't a clown."

Her eyes widened. "Is that meant for a compliment?"

"No, merely for a reminder. But if you were born in a circus, I assume
that you didn't perform in one."

She shook her head. "No, they took me away when I was a baby--just after
Mother died. I never lived with the circus people, and Father didn't
either except when he was a child. Not that I should have been ashamed
of it," she hastened to explain. "They are very interesting people."

"I am sure of it," he answered gravely, and he was very sure of it now.

"When I was a child," she went on in a matter-of-fact tone, "I used to
make Father tell me all he could remember about the 'freaks,' as they
called them. The fat woman--her name was really Mrs. Coventry--was very
kind to him when he was little, and he never forgot it. He never forgets
anybody who has ever been kind to him," she concluded with simple
dignity.

An emotion which he could not define held Stephen speechless; and before
he could command his words, she began again in the same cool and quiet
voice. "His mother ran away to marry his father. She came of a very good
family in Fredericksburg, and her people never forgave her or spoke to
her afterward. But she was happy, and she never regretted it as long as
she lived. It was love at first sight. Grandfather was Irish and he
was--was--" she hesitated for