I. A. R. Wylie

“ The overcivilized inhabitants, weary of double-headed calves and such primitive entertainments, clamored for revolving prodigies and wire dancers, and on the night of the gala performance Simeon's tent was full to overflowing. There was to be a special new turn, whose nature was wrapped in secrecy even from the attendants. All that they knew was that it was called “The Fly on the Ceiling,” and that it was both funny and dangerous—a delicious combination of virtues. The Revolving Prodigy and Sandy McGrab were the only people who knew the details. ”

“ The attendants were busy with the horses in the stables. Simeon was still vociferating to an increasing crowd outside. The musical instrument seemed to fill every nook and cranny of the whole universe. But Madame Sadela had quick eyes.
“Monsieur Gollioth!” she said imperatively.
Something on the far side moved. It moved so slowly that it might have been a shadow itself. When it came out into the light, it proved to be a man.
“Monsieur Gollioth, come here!” she insisted.
Monsieur Gollioth came. He was about six feet high, but gave the impression of having been stunted in his growth. ”

“ Simeon fumbled blindly. Sandy bent forward and snatched something from his outstretched hand as he flew past. There was another moment, during which Sandy carefully investigated the contents of a pocketbook, and then half a dozen torn pieces of paper fluttered down into the ring. Sandy unfastened the windlass, and slowly, still feebly pivoting, the cowboy descended to earth. There he collapsed. But he had strength enough, as Sandy McGrab came off the last rung of the lader, to gasp out an order. Sandy McGrab squared himself for the onslaught. The giant led the van. ”

“ When he returned to his post, his manner of encouraging the inhabitants of Jedborough to visit the Greatest Show on Earth suggested that if they didn't, they ought to be hung, drawn, and quartered, and that he would like to have a hand in the execution. Fortunately, Jedborough responded nobly, and the stream of expectant visitors seemed unending.
Simeon's brow remained clouded. He had knocked senseless the one funny man of his troupe. There is nothing that amuses humanity so much as a caricature of itself, and Gollioth was undoubtedly a caricature of the first water. ”

“ He had also heard of ladies who wore short skirts and bright-colored stockings. They also had been denounced. But Sandy McGrab knew better—he had met one of them. There was a sprig of withered Scotch heather tucked away somewhere in the region of an unsentimental Scotch heart to remind him of her, and for her sake he was not shocked, but only a little grieved. As the jockey turned a final somersault to a final crash from the steam organ, Sandy McGrab detached his plaid, and, crossing the passage, laid it across Madame Sadela's shoulders, so that it covered her from head to foot. ”

“ He offered her great riches. Henri had to have good food—all that money could buy. She ran away. One day she meant to return—but there was a contract. She signed it—not understanding. If she left Simeon now, she would owe him many hundreds, and her husband would be ruined. Ah, how I have suffered for her!” The tears that had been in his voice rolled down his cheeks. He rubbed them away with his coat sleeve. “It's my soft heart,” he explained apologetically. “All giants are soft-hearted.”
“Are you a giant?” asked Sandy McGrab.
Gollioth sighed again. ”

“ In spite of a black eye, Simeon was clear-sighted enough to see that the unrehearsed turn had been the success of the evening. And, above all things, he was a business man.
So the next day, when the Greatest Show turned out of Jedborough, bound for a neighboring fair, Sandy McGrab marched in the van in front of the elephants, and Monsieur Gollioth shambled beside him. From time to time, Madame Sadela rode past them. She was dressed as a vivandière, and sat the cart horse with grace. ”

“ Being thoroughly English, Jedborough knew very little about Shakespeare, and nothing at all about Romeo, but it had an enormous sense of humor, and this kilted Scotsman making extravagant love—with a faint accent—to an invisible lady, who, by the direction of his gestures, must have been seated in the shilling seats, tickled them to death. ”

“ Behind him, as an appropriate and picturesque background, was the sandy arena, and beyond that, hidden by the curtained entry, a serried array of caravans around which Jedborough's youth stood and gaped in awe-struck curiosity. In the largest of the caravans the Revolving Prodigy was crying his small heart out, with his face buried in the shoulder of the Greatest Lady Wire Dancer in Europe.
“I don't want to!” he reiterated piteously. “I don't want to! I'm tired! I'm always tired! ”

“ If ye black both my eyes, he'll forgive ye anything.”
“But you!” exclaimed Monsieur Gollioth tragically.
Sandy McGrab laughed and squared his big shoulders.
“A highlander can look after himself,” he said. “I'll be all right. And I'm thinking—there's a lady who'll be glad of what we're doing. You promise?”
“I promise!” said Monsieur Gollioth, in sepulchral accents.
The bell rang again. It was the signal that the interval in the program was over. The great new turn of the evening had come. Sandy McGrab hurried back to the arena. On the way he passed Madame Sadela and stopped an instant. ”

“ Do anyding—make a fool of yourself—take deir minds off it! Out vid you!” He swung round on the horror-stricken woman beside him. “Dis is your doing!” he snarled at her. “But it von't help you. He'll stay dere till he's done de trick—I swear it!”
Sandy McGrab strode into the arena It was his first real audience, his first great chance. But it was not of that he was thinking. He was thinking of the “wee laddie” fifty feet above him, crying his heart out. The shuffling and murmuring of Jedborough's puzzled, half-angry citizens sounded like a distant accompaniment to those piteous sobs. ”

“ Overhead the windlass creaked, and the rope came within reach. Monsieur Gollioth seized it.
“Now, den!”
Unfortunately Monsieur Gollioth stumbled. He fell up against Simeon, who cursed. There was a moment's confusion. The windlass creaked again. Slowly, but remorselessly, Simeon was lifted from his feet.
“Stop! Idiots! Sheepheads! Let me down! Vat are you doing? Gott im Himmel, is de man mad?”
Sandy McGrab worked at the windlass till the sweat rolled down his cheeks. Simeon was bulky. ”

“ If you make 'im play to-night, I vill run away—I vill take Henri vith me——”
Simeon burst out laughing.
“We've had dat out before, hafn't we, old girl? Dere's dat bit of paper, as you call it. If you break your contract, you'll owe me four hundred pounds. And who's to pay? Your husband? I'll sell him up, I'll bust his show——”
“You are a cheat—a bad, wicked man! I vill tell all ze vorld——”
“You'd better try!” He raised his clenched fist at her. “You'd better——”
Monsieur Gollioth lurched in between, windmill fashion, arms waving impotently. ”

“ Madame Sadela kissed him passionately on the immaculate parting.
“One day I vill kill 'im!” she declared tragically to the heavens. She turned and walked away. Mr. William Jones looked after her. Then he lifted his tear-filled eyes to Sandy McGrab.
“'Ere,” he said. “You seem a decent sort, Scotty. Keep an eye on 'er, won'cher?”
“I promise!” said Sandy McGrab.
“Thanks!” He retired into the tent and made a grotesque effort to grin back cheerfully over his shoulders. “I've got me performin' fleas left, any'ow,” he said. “I ain't quite alone in the world.” ”

“ II.—ON THE ROAD. GREAT historical events have a knack of treading on one another's heels. Three days after the time-honored name of McGrab & Son had been painted out from over Kirkhumphries' chief homespun establishment, and the late owner had turned his back on his grief-stricken birthplace forever, the English town of Jedborough welcomed its first circus. ”

“ Not a soul been 'ere for hours. Don't blame them, either. Who wants to see performin' fleas and two-headed calves nowadays? Wot with the bloomin' hadvance of civilization and suchlike, people won't look at nothin' less than Siamese Twins. It's a walley of tribulation, that's wot I calls this life.”
“What you want,” said McGrab, gazing up at the sky, “is a pretty woman—a wire dancer, for instance, like we have.” ”

“ A berformer who is already known to you vill be attached to dis rope. De chentleman in de skirts”—laughter—“vill vind him up to de ceiling. By a special contrivance, he vill be able to swing de berformer right across de arena—over your heads. Vat de berformer vill den do, I vill not describe. You shall see for yourselfs. Now, ladies and chentlemen——”
He gave a signal. The musical instrument snorted, and the Revolving Prodigy ran into the arena. He was not crying any more. He was trying to smile, and he kissed his hands to the audience almost eagerly. Monsieur Gollioth ambled at his heels. ”

“ Henri and I are bound to 'is show for six years, and if I go away, I give 'im four hundred pounds, or 'e sell you up.”
Mr. William Jones collapsed slowly on the bench beside him.
“Well, I'm shivered!” he said. “You 'ave gone and done it, and no mistike!”
There was a long and painful silence. Husband and wife sat side by side, and hand in hand. Both wept openly.
“This 'ere life is a walley of hupsets, that's wot I say,” began Mr. Jones at last. “I wish I was buried!”
“Guillaume—without me?”
“You've got the kid. I ain't no good. ”

“ Jedborough rocked with delight, and Simeon nodded approval. If they could be kept going, he was saved. As for Sandy McGrab, he saw and heard nothing. He was back on the heights over Glen Every, and perched above him, amidst the faded heather, was a woman with blue eyes, and warm, golden hair, who smiled upon him
“See how she leans her cheek upon her hand! ”

“ Seems to me——” He made a valiant fight for manly self-control. “It ain't no good us standin' 'ere a-wringin' of our 'earts. We've got our dooty, and we've got to stick it. You get along back to—to the kid, Sidi. ”