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Bloxford had been eyeing the tall, well-made figure, the pleasant, handsome face, and, being a man of the world and a circus manager to boot he had no difficulty in seeing that the young man, standing so modestly, and yet so easily, before him, was a gentleman.
A lighted cigar was now between his teeth, and a bottle of champagne stood on the table. Mr. Bloxford looked up from a paper that he was reading, and eyed Dene with that suppressed impatience which is peculiar to all managers of theatres and circuses. "Well, what do you want?" he demanded. "Tub isn't sinking already, is she?" "I've come to ask you to take me on, to let me join your company, Mr.
Bloxford remarked on the fact somewhat anxiously to Derrick. "There's always a lot of cowboys in the city," he said, "and there's a good many of them here to-night. They come in from the plains for a lark, and they generally see that they get it." "Oh, they'll be all right," said Derrick. "They're bound to be pleased." "Well, keep an eye on things," remarked Mr.
Bloxford started and stared, in a bewildered fashion, then he recognised Derrick and, grasping the hand, shook it heartily. "Why, dash my stars and stripes, if it isn't Sydney Green!" he exclaimed, with so evident a pleasure that Celia's eyes glowed and she smiled upon him; and Mr. Bloxford, as if drawn by the smile, turned to her, and, sweeping off his hat, said,
You are so clever, 'cute I beg your Excellency's pardon! that you will have guessed, as old Bloxford guessed, that I had good reason, or, rather, bad, for leaving England; besides, I hinted it the other night. I'll tell you what that is, if you care to hear it." "Tell me," she said, in a low voice.
"I've no direct appointment," said Derrick, coolly, patting the elephant's soft trunk, which was wandering caressingly and gratefully over his body. "But, unfortunately for me, I'm so made that I can't stand by and see any animal ill-treated. It's a weakness of mine that has caused me no end of trouble." "I guess so," said Mr. Bloxford, dryly.
Bloxford," said Dene, going straight to the point. The manager stared at him. "Take you on! Why, aren't you one of the hands? Then what the blank are you doing here?" "No, I'm not engaged at present," replied Dene; and he explained how he had been caught up in the turmoil and had remained on board. While he was speaking, Mr.
Bloxford waved him on twice to bow his acknowledgments, and Derrick, as Sidcup came tripping out of the ring, met him and held out a hand. "Simply stunning!" said Derrick. "Cleverest thing of the kind I ever saw. You must have the pluck of the devil. You made my heart turn over. Wonderful, wasn't it, Miss Devigne?"
All the same, he loved her, and therefore this other woman could be nothing to him. The doctor and Mr. Bloxford came to see him; Bloxford full of impish delight and satisfaction at Derrick's recovery, and full also of threats of what he, Bloxford, would do if ever he came across the cause of Derrick's "accident." An hour later Derrick had another visitor. It was Sidcup.
You look pale; you've been nursing me all this time. How long is it?" "Four days," she said, in a low voice. They had been the happiest four days of her life. "Good lord!" he muttered. "Four days! Oh, here, I say, I wish I could thank you properly, but I can't." "There's no need," she said, in a low voice. "I'll go and tell the doctor and Mr. Bloxford."
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