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“Hired?” the younger brother repeated. “How is this possible?”

“She came to my lodgings in Baker Street yesterday, and told me of the incident with the horse and the poisoning of Diaz in Oxford. She feared the killer would succeed on his third attempt.” He repeated some of what she had told us.

“But this is untrue!” Philip insisted. “She fell off that horse, as she had done before. And I have already told you the Spaniard’s poisoning was a simple accident on his part. The poison was meant for a sick python.”

“Why would she lie?” Holmes asked. “It would seem her death is all the evidence we need that she told the truth.”

But the Rovers were already hurrying away to meet the police.

A short time later, while the body was being removed through the big top’s rear entrance, the spectators were finally allowed inside. There was a buzz of speculation among them. They had seen the police wagon draw up, and they knew something was amiss. Holmes and I took seats near the front of the grandstand, waiting for some sort of announcement. When it came it was vague and brief. The ringmaster held up his megaphone, a voice amplifier from America, and announced, “Welcome to the Rover Brothers Circus! Due to an unfortunate accident, Vittoria the Circus Belle will not appear at this performance. Settle back and enjoy the show!” There were some groans from the spectators.

First came the clowns, followed by the team of acrobats with some tumbling and trapeze acts. The middle portion of the show was devoted to the traditional equestrian performers. If Edith Everage had been responsible for Vittoria’s death she showed no evidence of nervousness as she went through her acrobatics with split-second timing. Finally the tiger cage was wheeled back out to the center of the ring and an animal trainer brought out the magnificent tiger for all to see. There was no hint that the beast had been clawing at a woman’s body only an hour or so earlier.

The performance ended with a fine equestrian display, the riders carrying flags representing Britain and its colonies. As the crowd headed for the exits I asked Holmes what we should do next. “There seems to be nothing more we can learn here,” I said.

“You are correct that we have learned everything we need to, Watson. I direct your attention especially to the curious incident of the tiger in the morning.”

“What curious incident? The tiger did nothing in the morning.”

“That was the curious incident,” said Holmes.

There was no way that the death of Vittoria could be hushed up or passed off as an accident. She had been killed and placed in that tiger cage. Both suicide and accident were out of the question. By the following morning the press had linked her murder with that of Diaz and the word was out that the famous consulting detective Mr Sherlock Holmes was on the case. The Rover Brothers Circus had been detained in Reading pending further investigation.

Holmes and I had taken a room for the night at the railroad hotel by the station. We had barely finished breakfast the following morning when Charles, the younger of the Rover Brothers, arrived to see us.

“I must speak with you about this terrible business,” he said, pulling up a chair to join our table. “Philip and I want to hire you. He’s had a complete change of heart on the matter.”

Holmes smiled. “I already have a client. Vittoria Costello.”

“I’ve found the dead aren’t too prompt in paying their bills, Mr Holmes. We want this business wound up as quickly as possible.”

“Very well,” he replied. “Will this afternoon be soon enough?”

Charles Rover was taken aback. “Do you mean that you have solved the mystery already?”

“I believe so. Are you performing this afternoon?” “Since the police are delaying our departure we have added a performance at two o’clock.”

“Very good. Please hold tickets for Watson and myself.”

When he had gone I turned to my friend in amazement. “You intend to reveal the killer this very day?”

“I need only one further piece of evidence and the case will be complete.” He finished his tea and rose from