"At the end of two year," continued Mr. McClosky, still intent on the
valise, "I allowed I'd get a diworce. Et about thet time, however,
Providence sends a circus into thet town, and a feller ez rode three
horses to onct. Hevin' allez a taste for athletic sports, she left town
with this feller, leavin' me and Jinny behind. I sent word to her, thet,
if she would give Jinny to me, we'd call it quits. And she did."

"Tell me," gasped Ashe, "did you ask your daughter to keep this from me?
or did she do it of her own accord?"

"She doesn't know it," said Mr. McClosky. "She thinks I'm her father,
and that her mother's dead."

"Then, sir, this is your"--

"I don't know," said Mr. McClosky slowly, "ez I've asked any one to
marry my Jinny. I don't know ez I've persood that ez a biziness, or even
taken it up as a healthful recreation."

John Ashe paced the room furiously. Mr. McClosky's eyes left the
valise, and followed him curiously. "Where is this woman?" demanded Ashe
suddenly. McClosky's eyes sought the valise again.

"She went to Kansas; from Kansas she went into Texas; from Texas she
eventooally came to Californy. Being here, I've purvided her with money,
when her business was slack, through a friend."

John Ashe groaned. "She's gettin' rather old and shaky for hosses, and
now does the tight-rope business and flying trapeze. Never hevin' seen
her perform," continued Mr. McClosky with conscientious caution, "I