at the end of half an hour the door of the small room was again unlocked, and a woman with a thin, pale face, and somewhat frightened manner, appeared. she carried a tray in her hand, which contained two little bowls of porridge, and a small jug of milk. "so you are the two young 'uns," she said. "well, you had best be quick and eat up your breakfast. uncle ben is going to have a rehearsal, and he wants you to see what they are all doing."
"we hasn't got no uncle ben," said diana; "don't be silly, woman. what's your name?" she added.
"i'm generally called aunt sarah," was the reply; "and now, look here, you two little mites; i'll be good to you if you'll let me. i'm real sorry you has come, and it's against my wish, you remember that. now, eat up your breakfasts, both of you. uncle ben, he don't know that i have brought you porridge and milk; but children as young as you are can't eat coarse food. sup up your porridge, my dears."
"thank you very much indeed, aunt sawah," said diana, slipping down from her seat close to orion on the bench, and preparing to attack her breakfast. "p'w'aps," she continued, as she put great mouthfuls of porridge into her mouth, "when we has finished this nice bekfus you'll take us back to wectory? you see, you isn't our aunt weally, not by no manner of
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wights, and uncle ben isn't our uncle, and so we ought not to stay here; and if we go back to wectory, why, uncle william, what's our weal uncle, p'w'aps he would pay you money, if it's money you wants."
"yes; it's true enough, it is money we want," replied the woman; "but, my dear," she added, the tears springing to her eyes, "i can't take you back to no rectory. you have just got to stay here and to watch uncle ben when he's going through his rehearsal, and then this afternoon we are going on a very long journey, and you are coming with us—and oh, i forgot to say that, when you have finished your breakfast, i must put something on your faces."
"something on our faces?" said diana.
"yes, my little love; it has to be done. but when we get to another part of the country i'll wash the ugly stuff off again, and you'll look as fair and pretty as you do now. it won't make much difference after all to you, little missy," she added, gazing fixedly at diana, "'cos you are very dark by nature. yes, i had a little kid of my own, a little gal, and she wasn't unlike you—no, not by no means. i'll be kind to you for her pretty sake, my little dear. now, eat your breakfast, and be quick, the pair of you."
"has your little girl what was like me got deaded?" asked diana, in a very thoughtful and earnest voice.
"she is dead, my dear. yes, yes, she is dead," replied the woman. "eat up your breakfast now; i have no time to answer questions."
orion did not need a second bidding; he had already plunged his spoon into the porridge, and soon his little bowl was empty, and also the jug of milk. diana also finished her breakfast, but more thoughtfully. she was a wonderfully wise little girl for her
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tender years, and at the present moment she was dreadfully puzzled to know what to do. she was quite shrewd enough to guess that mother rodesia was a bad sort of woman, and that she, diana, had done wrong ever to trust herself to her. uncle ben, too, in spite of her brave words, terrified her more or less. all things considered, therefore, she would not have been at all sorry to find herself back again at the rectory, with miss ramsay to teach her, and aunt jane hovering in the background. "isn't it funny, we has got our nightdwesses on?" she said suddenly. "woman, it's not pwoper to have our bekfus in our nightdwesses; and these are such keer nightdwesses, not at all what they ought to be. our mother would not like us to be dwessed in this sort of style. can you get our day dwesses, p'ease, for us to put on, aunt sawah?"
"no; i can't get the dresses you wore yesterday," replied aunt sarah; "but for all that you shall wear a very pretty little frock. i have got a blue one for you with white wings. what do you say to that?"
"b'ue, with white wings?" echoed diana. "it sounds pwetty; but i must have a b'ack bow, p'ease, woman, 'cos our mother has gone away to the angels, you underland; and when mothers go to the angels little girls wear b'ack bows—at least, that's what iris says. oh, i say, orion," suddenly concluded diana; "what is we to do without iris? she is our little mother now. you underland what i mean; doesn't you, orion?"
the only answer orion made was to fling himself flat down on the floor and begin to howl with all his might.
"you had best not do that, young sir," said aunt
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sarah, "for if uncle ben hears he'll be awful angry. he is a terrible man when he's angered. it's only right i should tell you the solemn truth, you poor little kids."
"we isn't kids; we is sildrens," said diana.
"well, you poor little children, then. now, young master, if you'll take my advice, you'll do exactly what i tell you. i'm going to be a friend to you and to your little sister. i'll give you, by hook or by crook, the very best food i can get, and the prettiest dresses to wear, and i'll see that my husband, ben holt, aint rough to you, and i'll see, also, that molly and kitty and susan, the circus girls, are kind to you, and that tom, the clown, behaves as he ought; but i can do nothing if you won't obey me. and if you begin by angering uncle ben, why, it'll be all up with you, my little dears."
"i don't know what you mean by all up," answered diana, her eyes sparkling brightly; "and what's more, i don't care. but i'd like to know if you has a weal live clown about, 'cos i like clowns and i love pant'mimes. i went to a pant'mime 'fore mother was took to the angels."
"our show is something like a pantomime, and yet it's different," replied aunt sarah. "now then, missy, stop talking, for we has no time to waste. come over here and let me put this nice stuff on your face. it won't hurt you one little bit—it's just to make you look a little browner than you do now, you and little master. now, come along here, and let me do it at once. afterwards, i'll dress you in real pretty things. you, little missy, shall wear some of my own child's clothes—the little rachel what died. my heart broke when she died, missy, and if i didn't mean to be real
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kind to you i wouldn't put her pretty little dress on you, that i wouldn't."
orion stepped back in some alarm when he saw the woman stirring something very brown and ugly in a tin can.
"i don't want that horrid stuff on my face," he said.
"but you must have it, master; if you don't, uncle ben will use you dreadful," said the woman. "now, missy, tell your little brother to be guided by me. if he don't do what i tell 'im he'll suffer, and i won't be able to help either of you."
"don't be silly, orion," said diana. "what do a little bwown stuff matter? and aunt sawah's wather a nice sort of woman. i'll do what you wish, aunt sawah." she came up as she spoke, pushed her black, tangled hair away from her charming little face, and allowed aunt sarah to cover it with the walnut juice. "it's sort of sticky, and it don't smell nice," said the little girl; "but i spects you can't help it. i spects you is kind about your heart; isn't you?"
"yes, my little dear; i try to be," said the woman. "now, call your brother over, and let me dye his face and neck and little hands."
"come 'long, orion," said diana; "don't be silly."
"you do look so ugly, diana," answered orion.
"well, what do it matter?" said diana. "i has to p'ease aunt sawah; she's a nice sort of a woman. i wather like her."
orion, who had always submitted to diana, submitted again now as a matter of course. the walnut dye was not pleasant; he felt quite sticky and uncomfortable, but he allowed it to cover his little face and his white neck and hands.
the dye dried very quickly, and the children looked
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as like two gypsies as possible when they surveyed one another.
"now, i'm going to fetch the clothes," said aunt sarah.
she left the room, returning in a very few moments with a pretty spangled suit of knickerbockers, which she put on orion, and which quite enchanted him.
"if you are a good boy," she continued, "you won't dislike the life with us. i wonder if you are fond of horses?"
"horses!" said orion, his eyes sparkling. "rather!"
"well, uncle ben will teach you to ride, and to jump, and to do all kinds of things. now, just stand back, and let me dress little missy, for ben is waiting to begin the rehearsal. missy, you let me put on your dress."
diana was only too willing to be attired in a flimsy skirt of white tarlatan, which stuck out from her little figure; she also wore wings on her shoulders, and her black hair was rendered gay with bows of crimson ribbon. she felt quite excited and pleased with herself.
"i spects i look awfu' pwetty," she said. "i'd like to see my own self in a looking-glass. has you got a looking-glass in your pocket, aunt sawah?"
"yes, dear; a small one."
aunt sarah whipped her hand into a deep pocket and took out a glass. diana surveyed herself critically in its depths.
"i like my dwess," she said, "but i don't like this howid bwown stuff on my face."
"never mind, dear; bear it for the present. when we get down to the southwest of england it shall all
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be taken off; but up here uncle ben thinks it best for you both to have it on."
"why?" asked diana.
aunt sarah was puzzled for a moment.
"'cos it's wholesome," she said at last.
"and isn't it wholesome in the southwest of england?" asked diana.
aunt sarah was puzzled how to reply. diana, who was gazing at her very intently, burst into a clear, childish laugh.
"do you know you is a humbug?" she said. "you know perfect well why you is using that. you want to hide us, that's why. what a silly old aunt sawah you is!"
before aunt sarah could make a suitable reply, the loud voice of uncle ben was heard in the distance.
"come, sarah," he called, "bring those kids along. i can't be kept waiting another minute."
"now then, dears," said aunt sarah, "i'll take you to the circus."
"the circus!" cried diana. "is we going to a circus? i love 'em!"
"well, my dear, you are not only going to see a circus, but you are going soon to be part of a circus. uncle ben owns one; it's a sort of traveling circus. he takes it about with him from one part of the country to another. you'll be part of the circus in the future, little miss."
"and may i wide horses?" asked diana.
"surely, my dear, and perhaps other animals as well. oh, never fear! you'll be taught all kinds of queer things. you'll have quite a nice time if you keep on the buttered side of uncle ben."
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"the buttered side! that must be g'easy," said diana.
"well, you keep on it, miss. if he's kind to you, why, all will be right, and, for my part, i'll see you want for nothing."
"i do believe," said diana, her eyes sparkling; she turned as she spoke and clasped one of orion's hands—"i do weally b'lieve this is better nor aunt's. do come 'long, orion; i always did love circuses."
aunt sarah led the children down a long, narrow passage, and then across an open court, until presently they found themselves inside the entrance of a huge circular tent. here seats were arranged for a crowd of people, all of which were, of course, empty at present; but the whole of the center of the tent was occupied by a wide arena covered with sand. in the middle of this space stood uncle ben. he had a big whip in his hand, and looked very fierce and terrible.
"there you are at last, sarah!" he called out. "oh, and there are the kids!" he stepped forward as he spoke. "now, little missy," he said, looking full at diana, "what would you say if i was to put you on top of a horse's back? you wouldn't be frightened, would you?"
"no," replied diana.
"i don't believe you would. i believe you are a plucky little girl. well, i'd just as lief give you a lesson straight away, for you'll have to take your part in the show in a week from now. we'll let her ride round the arena on greased lightning; eh, sarah?"
"oh, i wouldn't! not on that 'orse," said the woman. she clasped her hands imploringly together. "remember, ben," she continued, speaking in a
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timorous voice, and her color coming and going, "remember that greased lightning is a very wicious sort of 'orse, and this is only a little child. has you ever been on a 'orse's back afore, little love?"
"sometimes," replied diana. "and my faver said when i got older he would give me a horse of my own to wide. he said i was too young yet, you know; but i aren't fwightened," she added. "i don't mind a bit sitting on the back of g'eased lightning. but what a funny name!"
"right you are!" said the man. "you shall have your ride. i can see that you have plenty of pluck, young 'un. come along, then, little missy. tom, you go and bring out greased lightning this minute."
a tall lad, with red hair and a cast in one eye, now made his appearance in the arena of the circus. at uncle ben's words he turned abruptly, disappeared through a curtain, and a moment later re-entered, leading a very graceful chestnut horse by a bridle. the creature pawed the ground as it walked, and arched its stately neck.
"you had best have a saddle, guv'nor," said the boy.
"none of your sauce, tom. the young 'un must learn to ride bare-back, and at once. i'll walk round with her the first time. now then, missy."
diana was clapping her hands; her eyes were blazing with excitement.
"it's kite 'licious," she said, jumping up and down. "i aren't fwightened," she continued; "that aren't me."
the next moment she was lifted on to the back of greased lightning. in all probability the horse
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which bore that title had never carried such a feather-weight as little diana before. uncle ben began to lead him round and round the circus. diana sat perfectly upright; she did not attempt even to clutch a hair of his mane. uncle ben praised her.
"you are a plucky little missy," he said. "why, you'll do fine. now, do you think you can stand on the horse?"
"course," replied diana. "what's foots for, you silly man, if not to stand? you is silly, uncle ben."
"i never!" said uncle ben, bursting out laughing. "well, missy, if i am silly, you has got a lot of sauce. 'what's good for the goose is good for the gander.'"
"that sounds howid vulgar, and i don't underland," answered diana, in a dignified tone. "i'll stand on my two foots if you'll hold g'eased lightning k'ite still."
"woe! stay quiet this minute," said the man to the horse. the pretty creature instantly obeyed, and little diana, nothing loath, scrambled on to her small feet. the horse moved gently forward, and the little child managed to keep her balance. she went the entire round of the circus two or three times in this position, and then uncle ben, saying that she was a very fine little creature, and would answer his purposes to a nicety, lifted her down in the height of good humor.
"take care of her," he said, bringing her back to aunt sarah; "there's a fortune in her, little mite that she is. she need not do any more to-day. why, i'll have her trained in no time when we get down to the
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west of england. she'll do her work beautiful, and will take the house by storm. now then, master, it's your turn. we must have a pair of you, you know—a boy and a girl. it's the very thing to draw crowds in the west."
but alas! orion, notwithstanding his brave name, was made of very different stuff from his sister. he felt fear, where diana, in all truth, did not know the meaning of the word. he shivered visibly when he was lifted on to greased lightning's back. diana called out to him in an encouraging and cheery voice.
"don't forget you is a giant," she said. "think, of yous sword and yous belt. now then, gee up! pretty horse; i only wishes i was widing you."
"come, young master, don't clutch the mane so hard," said holt. "hands off, i say! greased lightning won't stand that kind of treatment."
but the more the manager spoke the tighter did orion grasp the black mane of the chestnut horse. greased lightning began to paw the ground and to show many signs of discomfort; whereupon orion uttered a piercing cry and began slipping backwards, towards the tail of the beast.
"come," said the man; "get back to your seat this minute. i have a whip in my hand, and it can sting; come, young sir!"
"don't you dare to stwike my bwother!" said diana, running across the arena.
some girls, who had just come in, and several men, all burst out laughing.
"you had best come back, miss; you had best not anger him," said a fair-haired girl, stretching out her hand to the little child as she spoke.
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"anger him?" said diana. "i doesn't know what you mean. does you think i are going to let orion be hurted? listen to me, man. you had best let orion jump off this morning, 'cos he's tired. i'll talk to him all about widing to-morrow. let him get down now, p'ease, big man."
"not until he has been twice round the circus," said uncle ben. "you stand aside, missy, or greased lightning may tread on you."
but diana was not to be so easily restrained. she now flew up to uncle ben and tried to pull his big whip from his hand.
"you don't dare to stwike my bwother!" she repeated, her eyes flashing. her determined attitude, the fearlessness of her whole little nature induced uncle ben to yield to her for the nonce. this he did more, particularly as he saw that the little boy was really incapable of keeping his seat another moment.
"well, then, look here, little miss," he said; "you has behaved very well indeed yourself, and so i'll let the little chap off this morning. now you know, sir, it is 'cos of your sister, for she's a plucky 'un; so you may go back to my wife. here, sarah; take the pair of 'em. you can go and sit on one of them chairs over there, children, and see us as we go through our rehearsal."
the rest of the morning was a truly exciting, not to say breathless, time to diana. she had not an instant to regret her absence from iris and apollo. the exploits, the feats performed by the three circus girls, and by tom the clown, to say nothing of the advent of the elephant and of the donkey who could perform numberless tricks, and finally, the performances of the
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troop of dogs, who seemed more human than most human beings, all fascinated the little girl. even orion forgot his terrors as he looked on; his cheeks flamed through their walnut dye, and his dark eyes grew brighter than ever.
when the rehearsal was at last over, the whole party rushed back to their rooms, where a hasty meal was served; and little diana sat between two of the circus girls and was petted, and laughed at, and made much of, and orion kept close to aunt sarah, who took care that he should have as many tit-bits as she could manage to secure for him.
at three o'clock there was a public performance, but now neither diana nor orion was allowed to be present. they found themselves shut up once more in the ugly little room, where mother rodesia had first taken them. from this place they could hear as a sort of distant echo the shouts of the men and women who were performing, and the cheers of the people who were looking on.
at six o'clock the performance came to an end, and then, indeed, began a fearful bustle and excitement. people were running here, there, and everywhere, and, two hours later, the great vans were all packed, the animals properly secured, and the party, with the exception of aunt sarah, diana, and orion, had started en route for the west of england.
"why isn't we going with the others?" asked diana.
"'cos the train is faster, little miss," answered aunt sarah. "and now the cab is at the door, and, if you will jump in at once we will be at the station in no time."
"i calls it lovely," said diana, turning to secure
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orion's approval. "i like it miles better nor lessons with miss wamsay nor being beated by aunt jane. only, course," she added, in a meditative voice, "i's twuly, twuly sossy for uncle william and iris and apollo."
