The ringmaster's whistle trilled for the successful drivers to swing outinto the concourse. They were driving furiously, almost before theechoes of the whistle had died away.
Making the turn at the lower end of the track in safety, the two teamsin the race squared away down the home stretch. All at once Phil sawthat something was wrong. The leading chariot was swaying dizzily, andthe driver was trying with all her strength to pull the plunging animalsdown.
Suddenly the wheel on the inner side slipped from its axle and wentrolling off into the center of the arena. The axle dropped to the turf,caught, then turned the chariot bottom side up.
The woman driver was hurled off into the center in the wake of thecareening wheel, landing on her head and shoulders beside the centerplatform.
The team did not stop, however. It started directly across the arena,in a diagonal course.
"She is hurt!" cried Phil. "Somebody will be killed unless that wildteam is stopped!"Giving no thought to the danger to himself, Phil Forrest darted acrossthe arena and leaped for the bridles of the plunging, frightened animals.
Conclusion
It seemed a foolhardy thing to do, but Phil understood exactly how togo about it. If he were able to turn the team, he would undoubtedly savethem from plunging into the seats where hundreds of people were sitting.
A trained circus horse always will avoid the spectators, but there is noaccounting for what a green animal will do.
Grasping the bit of the animal nearest to him, Phil threw his wholeweight into the effort. To his intense satisfaction the team swerved, halfturned and dashed across the arena again. This time, however, they didnot go far. The outfit smashed into the main center pole, and Phil wenton, sitting down violently in the middle of the concourse, unhurt, but moreor less shaken up.
By that time ring attendants had caught the frightened horses. Alldanger was over.
Phil Forrest was loudly cheered by the spectators, but his borrowedofficer's uniform was a hopeless wreck. It was torn beyond anypossibility of repair.
Upon investigation, which Phil made at once, he found that the capthat held the chariot wheel in place, had been removed. No trace of itever was found, and Phil well knew that the mysterious enemy was oncemore at work. The news was conveyed to Mr. Sparling, with theinformation that Phil had gleaned.
He also bore the unwelcome tidings to his employer that their leadingwoman chariot driver had broken both arms and that she would notperform again that season, if ever again.
Mr. Sparling was so angered over this latest outrage that he wasscarcely able to control himself. Yet he knew that it would be best tomaintain silence until the detective had had an opportunity to make aninvestigation. Some of the circus people, however, had voiced asuspicion that the accident was a deliberate attempt to do the show aninjury, and this was quickly passed from lip to lip, until almost everyonehad heard it. The show people accepted the situation quietly, as wastheir wont, nevertheless they were very much excited. There was notelling when they themselves might fall victims to the mysterious enemy,and each one vowed to run down the scoundrel who they knew must be amember of the circus family.
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