Nancy suggested that Millie Francine call up to She apartment that she was there, but not to mention that she had other visitors with her. The dancer did her part and the front door was opened to them.
They rode up in the elevator to the third floor and made their way to the Tristam apartment. Millie rang the bell. The door was opened by a woman with curly blond hair whom the dancer called Mrs. Tristam. The four callers burst in.
"What does this mean?" Mrs. Tristam cried.
While the policeman stood guard at the door, Nancy and Ned hurried inside to look for Lola Flanders. They found her in the living room, talking to Mr. Tristam.
"Oh, Nancy!" Lolita's mother cried out. "It was dreadful of me not to have left a note. These kind people got in touch with me and we were going to leave in a few minutes to see my daughter."
"Mrs. Flanders," said Nancy, "these people are not kind. They have practically kidnapped you. They have been stealing your money for years. They never intended to take you to Lolita."
As Lola Flanders fell back, stunned, Mr. Tristam walked forward. He demanded to know what this outrageous story was all about and who Nancy was.
"I'm quite sure you know who I am," she said. "Possibly you do not know my escort, Ned Nickerson. And in case you do not know the policeman at the door, I suggest that you meet him quietly."
Suddenly Tristam's eyes blazed and he became virtually a madman. He shoved Nancy aside and punched Ned. Then he started for the door to the hall. Before he could even reach the policeman, Millie Francine planted herself in his path.
"Oh, no, you don't, Mr. Tristam," she cried. "You don't go another step without telling these people I'm innocent!"
At that moment there was a tap on the door. The policeman recognized it as a signal from more of Captain Smith's men. He opened the door. The officer and two other men walked in.
Tristam, seeing that the game was up, quietly surrendered. He told the story much as Nancy had pieced it together from time to time. He added that it was Kroon's idea when Lola Flanders, then a widow, was discharged from the hospital, to keep her under the influence of drugs so that she would appear to be an amnesia victim, and to place her in a cheap nursing home. It was Mrs. Kroon who had literally abducted Lolita, partly because she had loved the little girl and partly because she knew that the aerialist had great talent and would bring a small fortune to them.
Nancy was fearful that the excitement might prove disastrous to Lola Flanders' mind, but she seemed to have recovered completely. When she reached Aunt Eloise's apartment, she asked how soon they might start for Melville and see Lolita.
"If you feel well enough, we'll take the first plane," Nancy promised her.
"I'm ready to go now," she insisted.
Ned obtained the reservations and within two hours they were all saying good-by to Aunt Eloise and setting off for the town of Melville.
As they climbed into the plane, the first person they saw was young Pietro! He explained that he had just arrived from England.
"I just couldn't stay away," he said. "Nancy, I had a hunch you would fix everything up, and that it won't be long before Lolita and I will be married."
"I think you're right," Nancy said, smiling at Ned, "and Lolita will have her wish—that her mother will be present at the wedding."
The plane reached Melville just before midnight. The group went to the hotel. Nancy suggested that Lola Flanders remain there until Lolita could be brought to her.
"I don't know whether Mr. Kroon has been apprehended yet or not," Nancy said. Turning to Ned and Pietro, she added, "Suppose we three go over to the circus at five o'clock tomorrow morning and mingle with the crowd that will be watching the workmen set up the tents. In that way, we won't be noticed by Mr. or Mrs. Kroon or any of their spies. We'll get Lolita and bring her back here."
This plan was agreed upon. Nancy was up at four thirty the next morning, and at five set off with the young men. Upon reaching the circus grounds, the three separated, Nancy going ahead. She made her way carefully to Lolita's trailer and knocked.
"Lolita, wake up!"
Sleepily the young aerialist tumbled out of bed and opened the door. Seeing Nancy, she started to cry out.
"Sh-h-h!" Nancy warned her. "Your mother is in a hotel downtown. Dress quietly and follow me."
Lolita dressed quickly, and throwing caution to the winds, stepped out of her trailer.
"Oh, Nancy, this is marvelous! Let's hurry."
The two girls made their way along, hurrying past the wild-animal cages to avoid detection by Kroon, should he happen to be around. But they did not see him, and hastened on happily.
They had just reached King Kat's cage when a strong hand was suddenly laid on Nancy's shoulder. The person gripped her tightly and swung her about.
Kroon!
"So you're still trying to thwart me!" the man cried. "Well, this is the last time!"
With his free hand, he unfastened the lion's cage and thrust Nancy forward!
CHAPTER XXVLast Links in the Mystery
With a great leap the huge lion sprang toward the door of the cage. Nancy Drew fought with every ounce of strength to get away from the insane ringmaster who was pushing her into the cage. Lolita screamed and tried to pull her foster father away.
A few yards back of Nancy was Ned Nickerson. And a short distance behind him, Pietro. Both young men raced forward.
Ned grasped Nancy and swung her away from the lion. The angry, confused beast landed one claw on the boy's hand and raked it badly.
Ned's action had startled Kroon, who fell backward. The lion hesitated a moment as though undecided whether to slink away or jump forward. For a fearful second everyone wondered whether the beast would get loose.
Pietro saw a long whip lying on the ground. Quick as a flash he picked it up and cracked it across King Kat's nose. The lion snarled and bared its teeth. One paw, halfway through the opening, was keeping Pietro from closing the cage door. With another crack of the whip he struck the lion's paw and the beast jumped backward with a roar of pain. The clown slammed and locked the door.
By this time there was terrific commotion in the circus. Every workman and many of the townspeople had come on the run to see what had happened. In the melee, Kroon disappeared.
"Oh, Nancy!" Lolita cried. "Are you all right?"
Nancy nodded. Recovering from her shock, she saw that Ned's hand was bleeding profusely.
"Ned!" she said quickly. "You must go to Dr. Jackson at once!"
Then, realizing that she had not thanked him for his brave rescue, she added, "Ned, you saved my life. How can I ever thank you?"
Ned gave a wry smile. "Don't even try, Nancy. I'm only thankful I was here to do it."
Pietro, too, came in for his share of praise.
Quickly Nancy looked around. "Where did Mr. Kroon go?" she asked.
No one had noticed him leave. Nancy, fearful that he would escape, asked Lolita to take Ned to the doctor.
"Pietro," she said, "we must find Mr. Kroon."
The man was not on the circus grounds and Mrs. Kroon also was missing. Pietro reported that the ringmaster's car was gone. Nancy telephoned State Police headquarters and spoke to the sergeant on duty. She was told that the police had just received word from New York to apprehend Kroon and were about to pick him up at the circus.
"Thank you, Miss Drew," the sergeant said. "I'll send a detail out at once and we'll set up a road block."
The Kroons were picked up a short time later on the highway and taken to headquarters. Nancy, Lolita, Pietro, and Ned were present at the interrogation.
Kroon, finding that denials of his crooked schemes were futile, and that even his two spies, the tramp clown and the giant, had not been entirely loyal to him, made a full confession. He did not spare the Tristams, on whom he put a great deal of the blame. At Kroon's request, Tristam had come to River Heights and stolen the horse-charm bracelet. He had brought it to Kroon, who years before had had a cheap duplicate of Lolita's horse charm made. He had kept the original, hoping to obtain the valuable bracelet. He had finally succeeded.