the seaside town of madersley was crowded to excess. it was the height of the summer season, and holt's circus was doing a roaring trade. there were two exhibitions daily, and every available corner in the great tent was crammed to excess. the spectators said that they came principally to see the little dark-eyed girl ride. for diana had taken to the life almost as kindly as a young duck takes to the water. she had learned her part quickly, and in a very short time she could ride even the most spirited horse. she was really almost destitute of fear, and was even seen to laugh when she was put upon the back of a buck-jumper, who did his utmost to toss her off. there were always men or women close by to catch her if she did fail to go through any of the rings, the large paper balloons, or the other obstructions put in her way. her piquant little face, the bold expression of her eyes, her fearless manner, and the unmistakable look of babyhood about her, roused the spectators to a frenzy of admiration.
but though diana did well and delighted ben holt, orion by no means followed her example. put to the test, poor little orion had little of the real giant about him. he was an ordinary little boy, with pretty black eyes and a good-humored, somewhat touching expression of face, but diana was anything but an ordinary girl.
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orion, having slipped once or twice from the back of greased lightning, became terribly afraid of the beast, and always turned white to his little lips when he was going through his exercises. as a rule, ben holt always trained the novices himself, and although he was kind to diana, he soon began to have a thorough contempt for little orion.
"he's a peaky little chap," he said to his wife. "why, he aint even worth the twenty shillin's i paid for 'im. now the little 'un—the gal—there's a fortune in her; but the boy—i have no patience with the boy."
meanwhile, he began to use rough language and threats to the child, and once or twice he even touched the little fellow with his great whip. on this occasion orion lost every scrap of nerve he possessed, and fell flat down upon the sanded floor of the arena, shivering and crying painfully. diana did not happen to be present. when she was by, small child that she was, uncle ben never showed at his worst, and orion, looking round now in vain for his sister, gave himself up for lost.
"now listen to me, you young villain," said the tyrant; "i'll force you to do what i want. you get on greased lightning's back this very minute."
little orion struggled painfully to his feet. a good-natured girl, who stood near, tried to say a word in his favor.
"don't you forget that he's very young, ben holt," she said. "it will be all the worse for you if you are too hard on the little kid."
"i'll thank you not to give me any of your sauce, susan jenkins," was the angry reply.
susan jenkins, a pretty, slight, fair-haired girl, who
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went by the graceful name of ariel in the circus programme, did not venture to say anything further, but in her heart she resolved to give diana a hint of the true state of the case.
orion was once more lifted on greased lightning's back, and the manager cracking his whip, the beautiful horse began to trot round and round the arena. at first the creature went fairly quietly, and orion managed to keep his seat. his piteous white face, the black shadows under his eyes, his little trembling hands were noticed, however, by susan. she kept near on purpose and tried to encourage him by smiles and nods. when he passed close to her he heard her hearty voice saying, "well done, little chap! you jest stick on and you'll be as right as a trivet."
a strangled sob by way of answer rose in orion's throat. alas! he knew only too well that he could not stick on. louder and faster grew the crack of the manager's whip, and faster and fleeter trotted greased lightning. it was impossible for orion to keep his seat; he had nothing to cling to, nothing to hold on to.
"you will have to do all this before the company to-morrow," called out the manager; "and now, no more of that easy sitting still. you jest scramble to your feet and stand on the 'orse's back."
"i can't! i'll be killed!" cried the child, whose face was white to his very lips.
crack went the great whip.
"stand up this minute, or you'll have a taste of this about your legs," said the man, in a brutal tone.
in deadly fear the little fellow struggled to his feet; he looked wildly round him, the horse trotted forward, the child fell on his face and hands and clutched
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hold of the black mane. this enraged the spirited beast, who began to dance and curvet about, and the next moment, but for the speedy interference of susan jenkins, little orion would have measured his length upon the floor. even as it was he was hurt and shaken, and lay weeping and trembling in her arms.
"now, susan, you jest listen to me," said holt, in an enraged voice. "i aint a-goin' to stand this sort of thing. that little chap has got to learn his lesson or he don't stay here; he is not a patch on his sister, but he shall learn his part. i has it all arranged that them two children is to appear in public to-morrow, and the boy must help the gal. the gal will do her work right well, but the boy must help her. it's the look of the two, and they so young, that i reckon on to fill the house. i'm determined that a mite of that sort shan't beat me. he could have stood on the horse's back if he had had a mind. he has disobeyed me and he shall be punished. you take 'im and lock 'im up in the black cage."
the black cage was a terrible place, in which some of the fiercer animals were put from time to time to train them. it really consisted of a huge box without windows, but with one or two small ventilating shafts in the door. on rare occasions, when thoroughly enraged, the manager had been known to lock a refractory member of the troupe up there; but such a punishment had never been given to a child before.
"oh, no, ben holt! you can't mean that," said susan. "why, it'll frighten him awful, and it do smell so bad of the last leopard."
but for this answer the poor girl only got a crack of the whip round her ankles.
what might have really happened at the end is not
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known; but suddenly at this juncture the swing door was flung open and little diana marched in. she held her head well back, and trotted boldly into the center of the arena.
"dear, dear, what's all this fuss?" she cried out in her frank, hearty voice. "uncle ben, is anybody a-vexing of you?"
"yes, my dear; that little brother of yours. you jest tell him to do his duty."
"oh, diana, diana! he's killing me!" sobbed little orion. he struggled out of susan's arms, flew to his sister, flung the whole weight of his little body against her, and gave way to a fresh agony of howling and weeping.
diana's black eyes flashed.
"you stay k'iet. orion; 'member you is a giant," she said, speaking in a whisper to the boy. "i's here, and i'll look after you. you stay k'iet. now, uncle ben, what's all this?"
"only that silly boy won't ride greased lightning. he won't even stand on the 'orse, let alone leap through the rings and the balloons."
"is that all?" said diana, her eyes gleaming. "but i can do all that; i can do all that beautiful. dear g'eased lightning!" she unclasped orion's arms from her neck and trotted across the stage. she ran up to the great chestnut and began to stroke its nose. the creature licked her little hand and looked affectionately down at her small figure.
"uncle ben," she said suddenly, "i isn't going to have orion punished; you isn't to do it; give him to me. you can't do anything with a little sild like that if you fwighten him. give him to me, uncle ben; i'll manage him."
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"but what are you but a little child yourself?" said uncle ben.
"yes, but i is made different. nothing fwightens me. i aren't afeared of nothing, and i aren't afeared of you, uncle ben, so don't you begin to think i is."
"never seed sech a child," said uncle ben, once more restored to good humor. "jest notice that perfect demon of a 'orse, how 'e takes to 'er. never seed anything like it afore. well, missy, and if you can manage your brother i'm sure i'll be only too pleased, but jest you remember this—you are both to go before the footlights to-morrow for the public to see. i has never had that young 'un on the stage yet, but he's to ride with you to-morrow."
"so he shall, uncle ben; course you will, won't you, orion?"
"with you, di," sobbed orion; "if you are close to me, di."
"course i'll be close to you, orion. i is the gweat diana. well, uncle ben, you isn't going to punish him. if you punish him he can't wide, 'cos he'll be ill. he's a giant."
"a pigmy i call him," said uncle ben.
"you talk silly," replied diana; "he's a giant, 'cos mother said he was, and on starful nights you can see him shining in the sky."
"bless you, child, don't take up any more of my time talking that gibberish."
"well, he's not to be punished, 'cos i say he isn't. he's coming with me now to his dinner. come 'long, orion, this minute; i has come to fetch you. good-by, uncle ben."
uncle ben did not utter a word. orion and diana left the arena, hand in hand.
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"what about the black cage now, mister?" said the circus girl, with a sneer.
"hang me, if i know what the world's coming to!" said uncle ben, scratching his head. "i can do nothing agen that little gal—she's the 'cutest, sharpest, bravest little cuss i ever come across."
"she's got the upper hand of you, leastways," said susan, with a laugh; "and, for my part," she added, "i am right glad. i don't want that pore little kid to be used hard."
