He held his tongue for a moment, wavering between impulse and delicacy. His gaze went to Christine's half-averted face. He was moved by sudden apprehension. Was she beginning to suspect the real attitude of Colonel Bob Grand toward her mother? Was it something more than mere antipathy that filled her heart? "See here, Mrs. Braddock," he began hastily, "I'm right young to be saying this to you, but I want you to know that I am terribly distressed by what has taken place in--in your life. I know you hate Colonel Grand. I know he is a bad man. His new interest in this show is the outgrowth of an old one." She started. Her eyes were full upon his face. "You are not likely to know any more peace or happiness here. Why don't you give it up? Why don't you leave the show? Why--" "David," she said, laying her hand on his arm, "you don't know what you are saying." "You could go back to your father," he went on ruthlessly. "I know it would be all right. He would not--" She interrupted him quickly. "Who has been talking to you of my affairs?" He bit his lip. "Why, I--well, Joey Grinaldi. He is your best, truest friend. He told me all--" Christine was leaning forward, peering past him at her mother's averted face. The girl's clutch on his arm tightened perceptibly. "Mother," she said wonderingly, "what does he mean? Isn't--isn't your father dead? What is it that Joey Noakes has told you, David?" David realized and was dumb with a sort of consternation. Mrs. Braddock hesitated for a moment, and then said to him, drear despair in her voice: "Poor David! You don't know what you have done. No, Christine, my father is not dead. Be patient, my darling; I will tell you all there is to tell." "To-night?" half whispered Christine, dropping David's arm, moved by the horrid fear that there was some dark secret in her life which was to put a barrier between him and her forever. "Yes, my dear." CHAPTER X LOVE WINGS A TIMID DART The circus encountered vile weather from that time on. Day after day, night after night, during the last two weeks in June, there was rain, with raw winds that chilled and depressed the strollers. The route of the show ran through the Ohio River valley, ordinarily a profitable territory at that time of the year. July would see the show well started for the northern circuit, where the floods were less troublesome and the weather bade fair to turn favorable. So bad were the floods in one particular region that the concern was obliged to cancel dates in three towns, lying idle in a God-forsaken river-place for two wretched days and traveling as if pursued by devils on the third. The horses, overworked and half starved, obtained a much-needed rest.