Joseph Faus and James Bennett Wooding

“ Some villagers had gathered about the few wretched travel-scarred cars that made up the second-rate circus train, and particularly in front of the car containing the cage of Mimmie and Horace.
Doctor Calgroni was there, and, at his heels, Simple Will. The doctor was talking very earnestly to the trainer.
"You say Mr. Barber has offered to sell either of these animals," the doctor was saying, as I drew up on the outer fringe of the curious crowd.
"Yes sir. He will sell one because they fight continually. They have to be carefully watched, or they might kill each other. ”

“ I nodded and left in the direction taken by the doctor.
Here was an element of mystery; for I alone, of all the villagers, knew that this eminent surgeon's presence in Belleville boded ill.
I soon caught sight of the doctor.
For a man of his age and physique, his gait was exceedingly fast—as though propelled by a nervous dynamo.
Stretching my legs, I kept a safe distance between him and myself, until he swung open the tall wooden gate and quickly vanished through the wilderness of tall bushes and low trees into the Thornsdale house. I halted safe from observation and lighted my pipe. ”

“ You don't know what ferocious beasts gorillas are—"
The doctor smiled.
"I would like to talk to Mr. Barber," he interposed.
The gorilla trainer hesitated, then, pulling shut the sliding doors of the animal car:
"Sure; just follow me," he said.
The doctor, at the man's side, walked to a coach ahead, the combination ticket-and-executive office of the Barber Shows. For an instant, Simple Will seemed to hesitate, but he didn't trail Dr. Calgroni—the unseen things inside of the gigantic cage nearby seemed to hold his hypnotic attention. ”

“ Obviously, the doctor was his own servant, housekeeper and cook. No one took the risk of entering his place—not even the daring Jason Murdock.
Several days before the circus arrived, I noticed what I considered a peculiarly significant happening—Dr. Calgroni walking toward his abode, with Simple Will tagging, doglike, a few paces behind.
At discreet distance, I followed them. Arriving at the Thornsdale place, I was surprised to see the doctor close the gate behind him, leaving Will standing outside. The half-wit stood there until Dr. Calgroni disappeared. ”

“ Espying me, he asked:
"Will you kindly direct me to the Thornsdale place?"
I told him the best way to reach Dr. Calgroni's without wading in mud, and he departed, with a brief "Thank You."
The next night I saw the stranger, ashen of face and decidedly inwardly shaken, hurriedly purchase a ticket and leave on the 9:45 train for New York.
Immediately I sought the telegraph dispatcher.
"You are aware of the queer actions of Dr. Calgroni—"
"I should say! He's a nut." ”

“ He was ill-at-ease, hovering uneasily about the gorillas' car. The other people nearby paid no attention to the half-wit. Presently the trainer and Dr. Calgroni returned, accompanied by another man, who was counting a roll of bills.
"You say," the latter remarked as they passed me, "that you want 'Horace' delivered at once?"
"Yes," replied the doctor concisely.
"All right. Hank, call the gang, unload the cage and put Horace in that red single cage. Dr. Calgroni has relieved us of him!"
At this, Simple Will approached the surgeon and touched his sleeve.
"You buy hairy animal-man?" ”