THE BLAZING BANQUET
Across the wire walked the young performer, and as he walked he tossed
into the air, catching them as they came down, the flaming torches. When
it is remembered that the fire was of the real, blazing sort, and hot at
that, also when it is recalled that if Joe happened to catch hold of the
wrong end of any of the whirling torches, and when it is evident that he
must "watch his step," it will be seen that he was performing no easy
feat.
Yet to watch him one would have thought that he had been doing it right
along for many performances, instead of this being his first in public,
though he and Ham Logan had practiced in private.
Across the wire walked Joe, juggling with fire, and when he reached the
other platform he walked backward along the swaying wire.
Then the applause broke out, loud and long. The crowd appreciated the
trick, with all its dangers. True, Joe Strong was an expert on the wire,
and he was also a good juggler. But juggling with torches while on a
swaying cable was not as easy as handling harmless rubber balls or
Indian clubs, and the circus throng seemed to appreciate this.
Getting back to the platform whence he had started, Joe dropped the
still blazing torches into a tub of water where they went out hissingly.
This provided a fitting climax to the act, as showing that the flames
were real ones.
And then Joe donned his cap of leather, with the little grooved wheels
fastened in the top, and on his head he slid down the slanting wire
through the blazing hoops. It was a good end to a good trick; and the
crowd went wild.
"Well, Joe, you sure did put another one over for us," said Jim Tracy,
at the conclusion of the performance. "That fire juggling was a great
trick. That's the sensation you promised us, I suppose."
"No, it isn't," was the answer. "I'm not ready for that yet. But I'm
glad you liked the trick. No, what I have up my sleeve is something even
better, I think."
"Well, I hope you haven't any blazing torches up your sleeve," remarked
Helen, with a laugh. "You'll need a new coat, if you have."
"No danger," laughed Joe. "I think I'll be ready soon. By the way, any
news of the bogus tickets--I mean the detectives haven't found out
anything positive, have they?"
"Not yet," answered Mr. Moyne, who had joined the little party. "And
it's keeping all of us who have to do with the financial end guessing as
to where the trouble will break out next."
"It is an unpleasant state of affairs," agreed Joe. "But I don't see
what we can do except to wait. You haven't noticed any more of the
counterfeit tickets of late, have you?"
"No," answered the treasurer. "It's only when we hit the big mill cities
that they are worked in on us. That's why I believe there is some system
to it all."
"Well, we'll have to break up the system," declared Joe. "As soon as I
get this new act of mine perfected I'm going to take a day or two off,
over Sunday say, and visit the detective agency. They may need stirring
up."
"I wish something could be done," declared the treasurer.
About a week after this conversation, during which time the circus had
moved from place to place, doing good business, Mrs. Watson, meeting
Helen on the lot, said:
"Who are Joe's new friends?"
"New friends? I didn't know he had any specially new ones," remarked the
young bareback rider. "Has he been befriending some more poor
broken-down circus men, like Ham Logan?"
"These aren't men," said the clown's wife. "They are three pretty girls.
I saw Joe coming back from downtown with them. They seemed
jolly--laughing and talking."
"Three pretty girls!" murmured Helen. And then she quickly added, with
an air of indifference: "Oh, I suppose they may be some cousins he
hasn't seen for a long while."
"I thought Joe said he had no relatives in this country," went on Mrs.
Watson.
"I'm sure I don't know," and Helen's voice was very cool.
"There's something behind all this," mused Mrs. Watson, as Helen walked
away. "I hope those two haven't quarreled. Maybe I shouldn't have said
anything."
However, it was too late now. The seeds of jealousy seemed to have been
sown, though unwittingly, by Mrs. Watson. Helen walked on with her head
high in the air, and as the clown's wife passed Joe's official tent a
little later she heard, issuing from it, the jolly laughter and talk of
several girlish voices.
"I wonder what Joe Strong is up to," thought Mrs. Watson. "He never
acted like that before--going off with other girls and neglecting Helen.
I'm going to speak to him. No, I won't either!" she decided. "I'll just
keep still until I know I can help. It's better that way."
It was perhaps an hour after this that Joe, meeting Helen, called to
her:
"Oh, I say! don't you want to do me a favor?"
"What sort?" asked the rider of Rosebud, and if Joe had not been
thinking of something else he would have noticed the danger signs about
Helen's countenance.
"The fancy jacket I use in one of my tricks is torn," went on Joe.
"Would it be asking too much to request you to mend it?"
Helen tossed back her head and there was a snap to her eyes as she
answered:
"Why don't you get one of the three pretty girls to do your mending? I'm
afraid I'm not clever enough!" And with that she walked on haughtily.
For an instant Joe was so surprised that he could not speak. His face
plainly showed how taken aback he was. Then, after a moment, he managed
to stammer:
"Oh, but I say! Helen! Wait a moment! Let me explain. I--er I--I only--"
But Helen did not pause, she did not look back, and she did not answer.
Joe stood staring after her in blank amazement. Then he gave utterance
to a low whistle and exclaimed:
"Oh, ho! I see! Well, it will be my turn later!" and he laughed
silently.
"He's either playing a mean trick or else he's up to some joke,"
declared Mrs. Watson, who, from a distance, had watched this little
scene. "And," she added with a shake of her head, "I can't be sure what
it is. Young folks are so foolish! So foolish!" and she sighed as she
walked away.
Joe, with the torn jacket in his hand, turned back toward his own tent,
and presently there came from it the sounds of several young persons,
including girls, in conversation and laughter.
It was later, that same afternoon, when Helen noticed Joe in one part of
the big tent. He was surrounded by three pretty young ladies and three
good-looking young men. They were on one of the platforms seated about a
table, and Joe seemed to be entertaining them, for there were plates,
cups, knives and forks on the board--all the outward indications of a
meal.
The time was late afternoon, following the day performance and prior to
the evening show. Helen looked curiously over at the gay little scene,
and something tugged at her heart-strings. Then she looked away, and
Mrs. Watson, observing her from the other side of the tent, shook her
gray head.
"I can't understand Joe Strong," murmured the clown's wife. "What has
come over him?"
It was just before the opening of the evening performance that night
when Joe, meeting Helen in the dressing tent, said:
"I shan't need you in the box trick, to-night, nor in the vanishing lady
stunt, either."
"Oh, I suppose you're going to use one of the new, pretty girls,"
snapped Helen.
Joe looked at her quietly.
"No," he said, "I am not. But I am not going to put on either trick. I
thought you'd like to know, so if you want to introduce any of your
extras you'll have a chance."
"Thank you!" she said coldly, and passed on.
Joe smiled as he looked after her.
With a blare of trumpets, a boom and ruffle of drums, the gay procession
started around the circus arena. The stately elephants, the hideous
camels and the beautiful horses went around to be looked at, wondered
at, and admired. Then, when the last of the cavalcade had passed out,
the various acts began. Helen had a new costume for her bareback act,
and as she started it she looked over to where Joe was busy on his
stage. She saw the young men and women around him. They wore fancy
costumes and seemed a part of the circus. Helen wondered what act they
were going to appear in, since none including them had been announced.
She danced about on the back of Rosebud, and thought bitterly that Joe
had never noticed her new dress. She was wearing it for the first time,
too.
The whistle blew. All acts stopped and Jim Tracy advanced toward Joe's
platform.
"A most marvelous and striking act!" he cried, not stating what it was
to be.
All eyes, even those of Helen Morton, turned in the direction of Joe
Strong.
He acted quickly. With a wave of his hand he invited the three pretty
girls and the three well-appearing young men to be seated. They took
their places around a table, with Joe acting as host. The table appeared
to be well laden, and at first the act seemed to be only a rather
elaborate meal being served in public.
"What is it all about?" mused Helen. "I can't see anything very
wonderful in that."
But, even as she thus mused, something strange happened. The banquet
table seemed to burst into flames. The dishes of food blazed up, and the
audience gasped.
But the young men, the young women, and Joe Strong did not seem in the
least surprised. They kept their seats and went right on eating.
And then, with a thrill of surprise, it was noticed that Joe Strong and
his guests were devouring the blazing food itself! The girls and young
men put portion after portion of the blazing viands into their mouths!