Page:Weird Tales v01n01 (1923-03).djvu/147

146 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.

The day before the show came, I saw the doctor clapping Will on the shoulder and talking to him.

That night such a terrible conclusion shaped itself in my mind as to the meaning of the singular boxes, the hostile notices, Will's attitude toward the doctor, and the latter's interest in him, that it kept me wide awake.

In ill humor at myself, I rose at the first appearance of the sun. Remembering the circus, I strolled over to the tracks to watch it unload.

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. 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. Several big drops of rain splashed upon the cinder-strewn ground. The heavens hung black and dismal; the sun had completely vanished.

I watched Simple Will. 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?" he mumbled.

The doctor laid his blue-veined and thin old hand upon Will's broad shoulder.

"Yes, Will, and I'm going to give you a job—a job as his valet!" The show men exchanged winks, and from the car rolled an empty, iron-barred cage. Will's expressionless features twisted into what on his idiot countenance registered pleasure.

Dr. Calgroni beckoned to the man whom I had seen deliver the strange-appearing boxes that first afternoon.

"Got your team?"

The fellow nodded.

A scene of bustle had sprung up about me. An excited and large crowd of villagers had assembled.

The big cage containing Mimmie and Horace was lowered to the track side. They were two of the finest animals of their type I have ever looked upon.

Horace was transferred to the single cage and its strong door doubly