Chapter IV

It was the gala night at the Royal Circus. Ricardo Harringtoni, the wonderful new acrobat of whom everybody was talking, stood high above the crowd on his platform. His marvellous performance on the swinging horizontal bar was about to begin. Richard Harrington (for it was he) was troubled. Since he had entered on his new profession--as a disguise from the police who were still searching for him--he had had a vague suspicion that the lion-tamer was dogging him. _Who was the lion-tamer?_ Could it be Jasper?

At that moment the band struck up and Richard leapt lightly on to the swinging bar. With a movement full of grace he let go of the bar and swung on to the opposite platform. And then, even as he was in mid-air, he realized what was happening.

Illustration: An Awkward Moment for Richard.

Jasper had let the lion loose!

_It was waiting for him._

With a gasping cry Ricardo Harrington fainted.