"John and Lola Flanders. I never knew them," the clown went on. "The story was that when Lolita was eight years old, her parents were killed in Europe while performing their flying act. It was then that the Kroons brought Lolita to the United States."
"And you think Lolita's horse charm might have belonged on my bracelet?" Nancy asked.
"It's possible. I just thought you two might get together and find out."
"I'll certainly do that," Nancy promised.
She asked Pietro if Lolita's parents had taught their daughter to be an aerialist.
"Oh, yes," he replied. "But after their death she was trained by other artists as well."
The clown smiled slightly, then said that he considered Lolita the finest aerialist in the world.
"But her foster father makes her work too hard," he said angrily. "Kroon doesn't care about anything but money."
"He does seem rather dictatorial," Nancy remarked.
The clown looked at her. "That's putting it mildly. Kroon is cruel, and besides, I don't trust him."
Nancy wondered why Pietro distrusted the ringmaster, but the young man did not explain further. He changed the subject and said:
"About the horse charm. The one Lolita wears was given to her by her mother when she was only five years old. That was thirteen years ago. I suppose it's only coincidence that the charm looks like those on your bracelet," he said.
"I'm not so sure of that," Nancy rejoined.
Quickly she related what she knew of the charm bracelet's history; that the shopkeeper, from whom her Aunt Eloise had purchased the jewelry, had hinted at a mystery. The original owner, supposedly a circus performer, had sold the bracelet because she was in trouble.
Pietro stared at Nancy in amazement. "That might well be," he said. "I have suspected for a long time that there's some secret in connection with the Kroons and Lolita. Whenever I suggest this to her, she becomes frightened and asks me not to talk about it."
Suddenly a look of alarm came over the clown's face. "Here comes Kroon now. Run!" he advised. Like a shot he was off, dodging among the various animal cages and trucks until he was out of sight.
Nancy decided not to avoid the ringmaster. She wanted to speak to him and find out about Lolita's condition. But she had no opportunity. Kroon, instead of passing her, turned abruptly into a near-by tent. When she looked inside, he already had disappeared.
Nancy wondered whether or not to question any other circus people about Lolita's real parents. She concluded that it would be better to talk with the girl first. Nancy decided to attend the evening performance. Perhaps after it she would have a chance to interview the aerialist.
"I have a date with Ned," she reminded herself. "I'm sure he'll be glad to come to the circus."
At seven o'clock Ned Nickerson, Emerson College's star football player, arrived at the Drew home. Nancy showed him her gold horse bracelet and told him of the new mystery, then she asked him if he would take her to the circus.
"Glad to." He grinned. "But listen here, young lady," Ned said, "don't get yourself so mixed up with clowns and aerialists that you can't even find time to talk to me!"
Nancy chuckled, but she knew Ned had good reason to scold her. Many times when they had a date she changed the plans completely and involved him in some mystery she was trying to solve.
"Lolita is the most wonderful aerialist I have ever seen," Nancy remarked as they neared the circus grounds.
"I just can't wait to see her," Ned teased. "I think I'll hire myself out as one of those princes."
Nancy made a face at him as he walked up to the ticket office.
"Two in the front row as near the center as possible," Ned told the ticket seller.
"Sorry, sir," the man replied, "there's not even standing room left."
Nancy's heart sank. She stepped up to the window. "It's very important that I see the show this evening. Couldn't we just—?"
"Sorry, miss," the man said firmly. "Not one more person can be admitted."
CHAPTER VA Strange Attack
Nancy looked pleadingly at the ticket seller. Something about her expression made him ask:
"Why is it so necessary that you see the performance? Some friend of yours in it?"
"In a way, yes," Nancy replied. She did not want to tell him about the mystery, but she did want to get inside the grounds. Suddenly Nancy had an idea and said, "Couldn't we go in just to see the animals and the side shows?"
The ticket seller thought a moment. "I'd like to let you into the performance under the big top, but it's against the fire rules to exceed the seating capacity."
"We understand," said Nancy, "but you haven't answered my question. There's nothing in the fire rules that forbids people from walking around to look at the animals and the side shows, is there?"
The man had to admit there was not. He called to the guard who was taking tickets at the gate and told him to let in the young lady and her escort.
Nancy and Ned thanked him and hurried inside. Ned inquired what the next move was to be.
"Pretty soon all the animals and the freaks will be going in the parade," he reminded her. "Then what?"
Nancy smiled. She told him that her plan was to accomplish almost everything that she wanted to do before the performance began.
"First of all, I want to locate Lolita and have a talk with her."
She walked up to one of the midgets who had just finished entertaining the crowd with a card trick. "Will you please tell me where Lolita's tent is?" she asked him.
He replied in a squeaky, thin voice, "I ain't allowed to tell."
Nancy was taken aback. She wondered whether the little man was just trying to be funny or whether this really was a rule of the circus. Nancy moved on to the fat lady who was seated on a platform next to the midget and repeated her question.
"Sorry, miss," the four-hundred-pound woman answered, "but we're not allowed to give out any information. Mr. Kroon's rule."
Nancy decided that she would have to find Lolita's tent by herself!
She left Ned watching the fire-eater and hurried off. Up one aisle of tents and down another she went. But there was nothing to indicate that Lolita occupied one of the tents.
"Maybe she's not in this area at all," the young detective told herself. "Being a star, perhaps she's off by herself."
Walking to the outer fringe of the tent colony, Nancy saw several trailers. Perhaps Lolita lived in one of these!
"I'll just wander around among them and see what I can find out," Nancy decided.
Luck was with her. As she approached the first trailer, Nancy could hear two persons arguing heatedly.
"But, Father, I don't feel well enough to perform." It was the young aerialist speaking!
"You'll perform tonight and put on a good act, too!" the harsh voice of the ringmaster came to Nancy's ears.
"But I'm so afraid I'll fall again," Lolita said.
For the next two minutes, Kroon gave the aerialist a severe tongue-lashing. Nancy decided that the man was completely without reason. She was so incensed at him and so sorry for Lolita that she wanted to rush in at once and help the poor girl.
Suddenly the man thundered, "I'll give you exactly fifteen minutes to make up your mind, Lolita! Then I'll be back. You'd better decide to perform. If you don't, you'll be sorry. I'll discharge every single friend of yours in this circus!"
With that, he rushed out of the trailer and strode off. His face was livid and Nancy again wondered whether the man could be in his right mind.
When he was out of sight, she went to the door of the trailer. About to knock, she heard crying within. Nancy hesitated for several moments, wondering whether she should disturb the unhappy aerialist or not.
Her sympathy and desire to help got the better of Nancy. She tapped on the door. At first there was no response, then a tearful voice said:
"Come in."
Lolita was startled at seeing Nancy in the doorway and did not look pleased about it. Almost at once, though, she smiled, because Nancy's warm expression revealed that she wanted to be friendly. Without mentioning the fact that she knew Lolita had been crying or that she had overheard Kroon's threat, Nancy held up the beautiful charm bracelet.