When the circus train finally pulled out of town the next day, it traveled all night and half the day without stopping. No one knew where it was headed, and no one dared ask. If The Barlow Brothers’ Circus showed up at the previously scheduled stops without The Albino Princess and The Albino Elephant featured on the advance posters put up by the twenty-four-hour man, it would be a disaster.
When the train finally stopped, word spread throughout the cars that they were at a new spot on a rail lot outside of Nashville, Tennessee. Supposedly, Mr. Barlow had arranged for a new big top to be set up, and when the performers and workers looked out the train windows, they were relieved and surprised to see the flying squadron there. The cookhouse was up, the canvas man was laying out the lot, and hundreds of men were lugging rigging and pounding in stakes. The sideshow and dressing tents had been erected too, but patches of long grass and two rusty barrels occupied the center of the lot, where the big top should have been spread out, waiting to be raised.
After everyone was done with breakfast and the cookhouse had closed until lunch, the performers went back to the train to wait and see what happened next. A short time later, another train rolled in on a sideline between them and the train depot. When Lilly and Cole saw the other train pulling in next to their car, they got up from playing on the floor with Phoebe and looked out the window. It was the Rowe & Company Circus. They glanced at each other with alarm. Two circuses showing up on the same lot could only mean trouble.
“What do you think is going on?” Lilly said.
“I hate to say it,” Cole said. “But they might be here to pick through our pieces.”
“What does that mean?”
“Either we’re shutting down after this spot and Mr. Barlow is selling off what he can to save himself, or—”
A knock on the door interrupted Cole mid-sentence. He left the window and went over to answer it. Hank entered, his face grim.
“Mr. Barlow wants the elephants off the train,” he said.
“Why?” Cole said.
“He has a buyer.”
A hard knot twisted in Lilly’s chest. No. Not the elephants.
“Come give me a hand,” Hank said. “And keep your mouth shut.”
Lilly pulled on her shoes and scooped Phoebe off the floor, where she had been playing with her favorite doll and calico elephant. Phoebe started crying and reached for her toys. Lilly grabbed the elephant, gave it to her, and started toward the door, panic rising like a flood in her chest. Phoebe hugged the elephant beneath her chin and grinned, oblivious to her mother’s distress.
“Stay here,” Cole said to Lilly.
“I’ll do no such thing,” Lilly said. “I’m taking the baby over to Glory and coming with you.”
Cole studied her face, then went with his father out the door. There was nothing he could do to stop her, and he knew it. She followed him outside, then hurried along the train in the other direction until she reached the car Glory shared with Ruby, Rosy, and three other sideshow performers. Glory and Ruby sat in folding lawn chairs next to the tracks, smoking and soaking up the sun.
Sweating and out of breath, Lilly stopped and put Phoebe in Glory’s lap. “Can you watch her for a little while?”
Glory nodded and held on to Phoebe, confusion wrinkling her brow. “Sure,” she said. “But what’s going on? Everything okay?”
“No,” Lilly said. “Everything’s not okay. Mr. Barlow has a buyer for the elephants.” The words caught in her throat.
“Oh my God,” Glory said. “All of them?”
“I don’t know,” Lilly said, her chin quivering. “But I need to find out.”
“Do whatever you need to do. I’ll take care of Phoebe.”
“Thanks,” Lilly said. She kissed her daughter on the head, whispered she’d be back soon, and hurried away.
By the time she got to the stock cars, a crowd of performers and roustabouts was already forming. She pushed her way through the gathering to see what was happening. The equestrian director and several handlers had lined the horses up next to the train, and Cole, Hank, and two handlers brought the elephants down the ramps, led them over to the row of horses, then stood holding their leg chains. Two men in suits and shiny shoes walked up and down the line inspecting the stock, one tall and thin, with dark hair and a walrus mustache, the other with a bald head and silver cane. Mr. Barlow and Merrick handed out hearty handshakes and strolled beside them, smiling. The local sheriff and the railroad officials were there too, along with a bunch of townies gawking from the other side of the tracks.
One of the acrobats asked the head of the Flying Zoppe Brothers if he thought they were shutting down.
The Flying Zoppe brother shook his head. “Mr. Barlow’s selling off ring stock to pay for a new big top.”
Shaking and nauseous, Lilly hurried over to the elephants and came to a stop next to Merrick and Mr. Barlow. Cole frowned at her and shook his head, cautioning her to keep quiet.
“You can’t sell the bulls,” she said to Mr. Barlow. “They’re your biggest draw.”
Mr. Barlow ignored her and kept smiling and nodding at the men in suits, who were inspecting the elephants up close.
“Mind your own business,” Merrick said to her under his breath.
“They are my business,” she said. “If they go to another circus, Cole and I go with them.”
“He’s only selling one,” Merrick said.
The bald man pointed at JoJo with his cane. “We’ll take the young one,” he said.
Lilly went rigid. No. Not JoJo. It will break Pepper’s heart!
“Sold,” Mr. Barlow said. “You’ve made a fine choice, gentlemen. He’s one of the smartest bulls we’ve ever had.”
“That’s not true,” Lilly said in a loud voice. “He’s been in the parade, but he’s as dumb as they come. We can’t teach him anything.”
Mr. Barlow glared at her and Cole gave her a stern look.
“And you are?” the man with the walrus mustache asked Lilly.
“I work with these elephants,” she said. “I’m sure you’ve heard of The Albino Princess and her Albino Elephant?”
The bald man knitted his brow and regarded Mr. Barlow. “You better not be trying to pull a fast one on us,” he said.
“Of course not,” Mr. Barlow said. “And to prove I’m an honest businessman, if this bull turns out to be a dud, I’ll take him back and give you two others to replace him.”
The bald man smiled and shook Mr. Barlow’s hand. “It’s a deal.”
“You’re making a mistake,” Lilly said, trying to keep her voice even. “JoJo won’t mind anyone but me and my husband. And even then, he’s the most stubborn bull I’ve ever seen.”
“Don’t listen to her,” Mr. Barlow said. “She’s just a bleeding heart who’s too attached to the stock. She’d make a fuss no matter who I sold.” He motioned his strongmen to move her away from him.
The strongmen grabbed Lilly, dragged her over with the rest of the spectators, and held her there. She struggled to get free, tears blurring her vision. “You can’t take JoJo away from his mother!” she shouted. “You just can’t!”