In "The Leap," Harry Avalon is killed by a freak storm which strikes during the middle of his trapeze act. On that particular day, the performance began like any other: Harry and his wife, Anna, "puckered their lips in mock kisses" before taking their places on the opposite sides of the tent. As they waved at each other and the crowd below, the ringmaster called for silence and they chalked their hands in preparation for using the trapeze. Wearing a blindfold, Harry was the first to perform, flying twice across the air on the trapeze. On the third jump, Harry expected to catch his wife, Anna, but as he outstretched his arms to receive her, a bolt of lightning hit the main pole and caused the tent to buckle. Instead of catching Anna, Harry was thrust forward and fell through the air before landing on the ground. This accident killed Harry and, according to the narrator, his body was returned to his hometown for burial.
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