A Unique Admission

IN THE old clown's scrapbook, now on Nancy's lap, were several pictures of performers and acts of the European circus in which Lolita's parents and Sanders had appeared. Poised in flight on a double trapeze were a dainty woman and a handsome man. Under the photograph was the caption:

John and Lola Flanders.

«They were a very talented couple,» the old clown remarked wistfully. «Too bad about their accident.»

There were various other pictures of the famous couple, performing their difficult stunts. Nancy could see that Lolita had indeed inherited her great talent from them.

«Yes, it was unfortunate that they fell,» Nancy replied. «Mr. Sanders, can you tell me anything more about them?»

For answer, the man turned the page of the scrapbook. The two following pages were filled with clippings from European newspapers. None of them was in English, but the old clown helped Nancy translate them. All gave practically the same account. John Flanders had been killed outright. The injuries to his wife had been very serious and she had not been expected to live.

«But none of these clippings,» said Nancy, «tell whether or not Mrs. Flanders did recover.»

The old clown looked around as if he feared someone might hear what he was about to tell Nancy. Finally he whispered:

«That has been a mystery all these years. One story was that Lola Flanders was taken to England and disappeared.»

Nancy's pulses quickened. Probably Pietro's father had seen Lola Flanders in Tewkesbury!

Thinking of England reminded Nancy that she had forgotten to ask her father to start his investigation there. She decided that as soon as she finished talking with Leo Sanders, she would telephone the lawyer.

«I've heard,» said Nancy to the old clown, «that John and Lola Flanders were reputed to have had a lot of money. Do you know whether this is true?»

Again Sanders spoke in a low voice. «Yes, the couple amassed a fortune with their brilliant act. Whatever became of the money no one knows. Some of the folks around here, who don't like Kroon, hint that maybe he's handling it and Lolita will never get it.»

Nancy wondered about this, but Sanders had nothing further to offer. Nancy then asked the clown whether the Flanders had made all their money in the circus.

«No, not exactly,» he replied. «John and Lola were very popular with nobility and other aristocrats in Europe. They were often asked to give special command performances outside the circus. They were exceedingly well paid for this.»

The clown went on to say that a certain queen was particularly fond of Lola. She had given her beautiful jewelry, including a unique bracelet.

«Please tell me about it,» Nancy asked eagerly.

«I only saw it once,» Sanders replied, «but I never could forget it. The bracelet was solid gold and had six little horses dangling from it. Five of them represented a different gait. Two were cantering. It was the most artistic piece of jewelry I had ever seen,» he concluded. «And now, I understand, you may own this very bracelet.»

Nancy nodded and added, «I was told that the horse charm which Lolita wears on a necklace was given to her by her mother. Do you think it could have come from my bracelet?»

Sanders thought for a moment. He glanced at Nancy as if he were reticent to say what was in his mind. Finally he blurted out:

«I don't think the one Lolita wears is real. It doesn't glisten as much and isn't so finely made as the ones I saw on her mother's bracelet.»

Here was a strange twist, the young sleuth thought. If the old clown was right, then someone had substituted an imitation horse charm for the lovely one which Lolita's mother had given her!

«I'll get my bracelet and compare the horses more closely with Lolita's,» Nancy decided. She was positive that hers were the finely wrought originals.

She thanked the clown for his information. Then, before going back to her own tent, she telephoned to her father. After giving him the latest news on the case, she asked him to find out what he could in England about Lola Flanders.

Deciding that it was best to keep Sanders' suspicions to herself, Nancy talked with Erika only about the circus itself. Both girls performed expertly that afternoon and upon returning to their dressing room smiled in satisfaction.

The evening performance also went off well. By this time, Nancy felt as if she really were part of the circus. In fact, she had almost forgotten that she was only substituting for a week or so, and had to keep out of Kroon's way in order not to be detected.

Nevertheless, Nancy concluded that circus life was pretty strenuous. As she was wearily removing her costume before going to bed, Erika dashed in, her eyes aglow.

«Hurry and change your clothes,» she said. «We're going to have a party.»

Nancy sighed, admitted she was extremely tired, and thought it best if she were excused from it.

«Oh, you have to come,» Erika told her. «Lolita is giving the party and she has a surprise for you!»

«A surprise for me?» Nancy repeated.

Erika would not tell her any more. The two girls changed their clothes, then her roommate quietly led Nancy to Rancoco's trailer. Lolita and Pietro were there and several of their best friends from the circus. On a table were plates of sandwiches and bottles of soda.

«Oh, Nancy,» said Lolita, hugging her, «I'm so glad you came. I don't know where to begin to tell you all that's happened in the past few hours.» Then, looking at Pietro and taking his hand, she continued, «My foster father was so cruel to me today that I can't stand another minute of it. Pietro and I are eloping!»

Nancy stared dumfounded. Then she said, «Oh, you mustn't do that!»

A hush came over the group and Nancy realized that she had thrown a damper on the gay party.

«I don't want to seem preachy,» she said. «I'd better explain what I mean.»

Quickly Nancy told them that during the day she had found out several things in connection with the mystery of Lolita, her parents, and her foster parents. She felt that it would be disastrous for the aerialist to leave at this time.

«I hate to say this,» Nancy went on, «but I think Lolita, and you too, Pietro, had better stay here and watch Mr. Kroon.»

Everyone in the trailer gasped. What did Nancy mean?

«I can't give you all the details,» she said. «My father is going to help me on the case. But I'll tell you this: Lolita's own mother may still be alive. And there may be some fraud in connection with money which rightfully belongs to her or Lolita. I suspect Mr. Kroon is back of it all.»

Pietro came over to Nancy. He said it was he who had talked Lolita into eloping. It was impossible for him to stand by any longer and watch Kroon treat his foster daughter the way he was doing.

«All he's interested in is the money her performances bring,» the clown said angrily. «We could easily get jobs in another circus. Nancy, you are the one to solve the mystery. We know nothing about such things. Couldn't you find out just as much about Mr. Kroon if we weren't here?»

Nancy smiled. «I'm afraid,» she said, «that if you two should leave, Kroon would become very suspicious. He might even blame me for your going away.

«I have a strong hunch that I may not fool him much longer. If he finds out I'm meddling in his affairs, he'll dismiss me at once. If that happens, I'll certainly need you here, Lolita, to do my sleuthing for me.»

Pietro threw up his hands in a gesture of resignation. «You have convinced me, Nancy,» he said. Turning to Lolita, he added, «In that case, sweetheart, I'm afraid our wedding will have to be postponed.»

«I guess it is the wise thing to do,» the dainty aerialist said. «I'd much rather have a lovely wedding and everyone who attends it to be happy.»

She thanked Nancy for persuading them to wait. Then she suggested that they all eat the delicious food which Rancoco's wife had supplied, and enjoy the party anyway.

Early the next morning Nancy was surprised by a visit from her father. As Mr. Drew sat down with her alone in her tent, the lawyer said he had had a hard time getting past the guard at the gate, but after showing him a permit from the local police chief, the man had let him in.

«I have a lot of news for you,» he told Nancy. «I thought it best not to give such confidential information to you over the telephone.»

Nancy listened intently as her father revealed an interesting story. That morning the River Heights police chief, McGinnis, had called and asked Mr. Drew to come down to the jail at once.

«Hitch finally made a confession,» the lawyer stated. «This is the story in brief: One time while he was working with Sims' Circus, Hitch overheard Kroon accuse his wife of a kidnaping. For nearly a year the groom had blackmailed the ringmaster because of what he had heard. Then apparently Kroon would not stand for the extortion any longer, and Hitch was thrown out.

«I'm inclined to think,» Mr. Drew summarized, «that Kroon also had something on Hitch and this was the reason the stableman never told the story before. Well, when Hitch heard that Sims' Circus was coming to River Heights, he decided to try getting back into Kroon's good graces.»

As the lawyer paused, Nancy remarked, «But he wasn't able to do it?»

Her father smiled. «This will be a surprise to you. Kroon wouldn't let Hitch back into the circus, but he did carry on an intrigue with him—against you!»

«Me?» Nancy cried.

Mr. Drew nodded. He said that Hitch knew about the bracelet with the horse charms, although he had not admitted it to Nancy. Hitch had understood that it once belonged to Lolita's mother. When he found out Nancy had it, Hitch had a good talking point with Kroon.

«He told the ringmaster what he knew, and received a tidy little sum for his information. Apparently Hitch was also given the job of trying in some way to discourage you from proceeding with your work on the mystery. So he figured out that he would strangle you enough to give you a good scare!»

«But why did he harm poor Rosa?» Nancy asked.

Her father said that Hitch had done it in a fit of jealous rage. The stableman hated all equestrian performers, because he had never succeeded in becoming a good one himself.

«And what about Señ or Roberto?» Nancy questioned her father.

«Hitch insists that he had nothing to do with Roberto's injuries,» Mr. Drew explained. «I believe he's telling the truth. But this only complicates matters. It's certain that Kroon didn't do it, since he was at the circus at the time. But it does mean that there is some unknown enemy mixed up in this whole thing. I'm inclined to think he's not a member of the circus.»

«But a friend of Kroon's who is helping him cheat Lolita out of her money?» Nancy asked.

Her father smiled. «I believe you've hit the nail on the head, Nancy. And this might pertain to something else that happened in River Heights. The night that Hannah and I attended your first performance,» the lawyer said, «your lovely horse-charm bracelet was stolen!»