with Rosebud. You might slip, the horse might slip, and you'd be hurt.
Now is this new act I am thinking of perfor--"

"Yes, I may take risks, Joe!" interrupted Helen. "But they are perfectly
natural risks, and I have more than an even chance. You might just as
well say you take a risk walking along the street, and so you do. An
elevated train might fall on you or an auto run up on the sidewalk. The
risks I take in the act with Rosebud are only natural ones, and really
shouldn't be counted. But if you start to become a fire-eater--Oh, Joe,
think of that poor fellow in the hospital!"

"He didn't get that way from eating fire--or pretending to eat it--for
the amusement of the public. He might just as easily have been burned
the way he is by lighting the kitchen stove for his wife to get
breakfast. His accident was entirely outside of his act, you might say.
Why, I use lighted candles in some of my tricks. Now, if some one
knocked over a candle, and it caused a fire on the stage and I was
burned, would you want me to give up being a magician?"

"Oh, no, I suppose not," said Helen slowly. "But fire is so dangerous.
And to think of putting it in your mouth! How can you do it, Joe? Oh, it
can't be done!"

"Oh, there's a trick about it. I haven't mastered all the details yet,
so as to give a smooth performance, but I can make an attempt at it."

"Joe Strong! do you mean to say you know how to eat fire?" demanded
Helen, and now her eyes showed her astonishment.

"Well, not exactly eat it, though that is the term used. But I do know