IT WAS A REALM OF MAGIC...

of superlatives... of illusions... an ageless wonder in a changing world. So Jovilette Wilder, the diminutive lion trainer, told Keane Prescott, the new owner of the circus. And he believed her. Night after night he had watched her fearlessly enter the lions' cage in her gold spangled body suit, her dark hair flowing down her back.

He had seen her gentle the fiercest lion, command the lead elephant to kneel, tumble with the acrobats. Why couldn't he realize that her heart did cartwheels at the very sight of him, and that for her the greatest wonder of them all was when he held her in his arms?