“They all sent their love to you,” he said. “They 309 knew you were out of danger—I told them there was no fracture, only a slight concussion. Byram came to look at you; he brought your back salary—all of it. I’ve got it.”
“Byram came here?”
“Yes. He stood over there beside you, snivelling into his red bandanna. And Miss Crystal and Jacqueline stood here.... Jacqueline kissed you.”
After a moment I said: “Has Jacqueline gone with them?”
“Yes.”
There was another pause, longer this time.
“Of course,” I said, “Byram knows that my usefulness as a lion-tamer is at an end.”
“Of course,” said Speed, simply.
I sighed.
“He wants you for the horses,” added Speed. “But you can do better than that.”