cloud rose from the circus lot far below. Something
very large was burning.
He ran more swiftly than any human, bare feet finding purchase on loose pebbles and
sharp rock. The smoke curled inside his lungs and stung his skin. Soon the light of a
towering fire obscured the moon and stars. By the time he reached the lot he had to
force his way through the crowd of onlookers drawn by the spectacle of a large and
destructive blaze.
To Catch a Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 04
Page 55 of 410
Flames devoured what was left of the big top, and several other tents and wagons were
burning as well. Troupers stood about in forlorn knots, helpless, as the local volunteer
fire department struggled to extinguish the conflagration.
But the damage had been done. The prop wagons had been among those destroyed,
along with a number of tents and most of Harry's office wagon—the one that held the
troupe's wages and savings.
Sifting subtler scents from the overwhelming stench of smoldering ash, Morgan found
his way to Harry.
The old man was not alone. Caitlin and Ulysses stood with him. Firelight picked out the
grief on each upturned face. All the progress the troupe had made since Morgan's
coming had been undone in an hour.
"Harry," he said.
The old man turned, his eyes wells of misery. "Morgan?”
"You've come back?" Caitlin asked. Her face broke into a broad grin. "You couldn't
abandon us, not now. Not ever." She flung herself at him and embraced him tightly.
Morgan endured the touch in stoic silence.
Harry's eyes met his over Caitlin's head. "You are a good man, Morgan Holt.”
Caitlin stepped back and wiped at her face with her coatsleeve. "What do we do next,
Harry?”
He looked at the billows of smoke that rose from the dying fire. "We continue, as we
always have. We find a way to go on, even if we must perform through the winter.”
To Catch a Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 04
Page 56 of 410
"We go on," Caitlin agreed. "And we stay together.”
Ulysses moved to Morgan's side. "I hope that Caitlin does not suffer a grave
disappointment," he said softly. "It is much worse than Harry admits.”
"I know.”
"You are remaining with us?”
"I will stay. I have no choice, do I?”
"I sometimes wonder," Ulysses said, "if Caitlin is not right, and there is a reason for such
events—one beyond our understanding.”
"Then whoever makes such reasons has no love for me—or you.”
" 'The heart has its reasons which reason knows not of.'“
"You are a fraud, Professor," Morgan said. "You still listen to your heart.”
"And you do not?”
Morgan turned on his heel and walked away.
Chapter 4
The fire had drawn Niall, though he might have missed it had he not left his hotel for a
late-night stroll. Colorado Springs was not so great a town to ignore a good-sized
conflagration, especially when it was burning up a visiting circus.
To Catch a Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 04
Page 57 of 410
So Niall followed the crowds to the outskirts of town, where most of the blaze had
already been extinguished. He had not seen the circus perform, preoccupied as he had
been with the business he had recently completed in New Mexico, but he recognized
disaster when he saw it. He watched with detached curiosity as the circus people ran to
and fro, gesticulating and crying out as some new loss was discovered.
He could almost pity them. His father had suffered such setbacks in his early years of
business in Denver, but he had persevered and overcome them. He had been daring
and ruthless as well as shrewd, as one had to be in these times. Niall had carried on in
his footsteps. The Munroe fortune had doubled in the seven years since Niall had taken
control.
But he had started with an advantage. These people, vagrants and mountebanks, lived
on the edge of ruin. He doubted any of them would accept a decent, steady job in place
of the life they lived.
Once he had considered the wandering life
very large was burning.
He ran more swiftly than any human, bare feet finding purchase on loose pebbles and
sharp rock. The smoke curled inside his lungs and stung his skin. Soon the light of a
towering fire obscured the moon and stars. By the time he reached the lot he had to
force his way through the crowd of onlookers drawn by the spectacle of a large and
destructive blaze.
To Catch a Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 04
Page 55 of 410
Flames devoured what was left of the big top, and several other tents and wagons were
burning as well. Troupers stood about in forlorn knots, helpless, as the local volunteer
fire department struggled to extinguish the conflagration.
But the damage had been done. The prop wagons had been among those destroyed,
along with a number of tents and most of Harry's office wagon—the one that held the
troupe's wages and savings.
Sifting subtler scents from the overwhelming stench of smoldering ash, Morgan found
his way to Harry.
The old man was not alone. Caitlin and Ulysses stood with him. Firelight picked out the
grief on each upturned face. All the progress the troupe had made since Morgan's
coming had been undone in an hour.
"Harry," he said.
The old man turned, his eyes wells of misery. "Morgan?”
"You've come back?" Caitlin asked. Her face broke into a broad grin. "You couldn't
abandon us, not now. Not ever." She flung herself at him and embraced him tightly.
Morgan endured the touch in stoic silence.
Harry's eyes met his over Caitlin's head. "You are a good man, Morgan Holt.”
Caitlin stepped back and wiped at her face with her coatsleeve. "What do we do next,
Harry?”
He looked at the billows of smoke that rose from the dying fire. "We continue, as we
always have. We find a way to go on, even if we must perform through the winter.”
To Catch a Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 04
Page 56 of 410
"We go on," Caitlin agreed. "And we stay together.”
Ulysses moved to Morgan's side. "I hope that Caitlin does not suffer a grave
disappointment," he said softly. "It is much worse than Harry admits.”
"I know.”
"You are remaining with us?”
"I will stay. I have no choice, do I?”
"I sometimes wonder," Ulysses said, "if Caitlin is not right, and there is a reason for such
events—one beyond our understanding.”
"Then whoever makes such reasons has no love for me—or you.”
" 'The heart has its reasons which reason knows not of.'“
"You are a fraud, Professor," Morgan said. "You still listen to your heart.”
"And you do not?”
Morgan turned on his heel and walked away.
Chapter 4
The fire had drawn Niall, though he might have missed it had he not left his hotel for a
late-night stroll. Colorado Springs was not so great a town to ignore a good-sized
conflagration, especially when it was burning up a visiting circus.
To Catch a Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 04
Page 57 of 410
So Niall followed the crowds to the outskirts of town, where most of the blaze had
already been extinguished. He had not seen the circus perform, preoccupied as he had
been with the business he had recently completed in New Mexico, but he recognized
disaster when he saw it. He watched with detached curiosity as the circus people ran to
and fro, gesticulating and crying out as some new loss was discovered.
He could almost pity them. His father had suffered such setbacks in his early years of
business in Denver, but he had persevered and overcome them. He had been daring
and ruthless as well as shrewd, as one had to be in these times. Niall had carried on in
his footsteps. The Munroe fortune had doubled in the seven years since Niall had taken
control.
But he had started with an advantage. These people, vagrants and mountebanks, lived
on the edge of ruin. He doubted any of them would accept a decent, steady job in place
of the life they lived.
Once he had considered the wandering life
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