Blackout

WHEN Lolita heard someone step into the trailer, she slammed shut the bureau drawer. But her movement and the telltale clothes which trailed from the drawer gave her away completely.

«I said, what are you doing?» her foster father yelled at her.

He took hold of the girl's arm and yanked her around violently. As he glared at Lolita, she began to shiver with fright.

«Please don't hurt me!» she begged.

«You tell me what you were doing or I'll—«The ringmaster did not finish because of an unexpected interruption.

Fearful that Lolita's reply might give away their secret, Nancy decided upon a desperate measure. She had once learned a few ventriloquistic tricks, and now determined to use one of them. Throwing her voice to sound as if it were inside the trailer, Nancy gave an unearthly scream. Then, dashing around to the door of the trailer, she ran inside.

«I heard a scream,» she said. «Lolita, is something the matter?»

Kroon glared at Nancy. The ringmaster was so taken aback that he released his hold on Lolita and said nothing for a moment.

The pretty aerialist sagged weakly onto a couch. «Oh, Nancy!» she wailed helplessly.

Kroon's eyes narrowed and Nancy felt as if they would burn right through her. The ringmaster walked toward her in menacing fashion. Nearing Nancy, he pointed a finger at her.

«Why, you little double-crosser!» he shouted.

Nancy stood her ground, not moving an inch. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Dan Webster in the doorway. Should she need any protection, it was near at hand.

«Nancy, eh?» Kroon yelled. «You're Nancy Drew, that self-styled detective, and you sneaked in here to spy on the circus!»

Still Nancy said nothing. This seemed to infuriate the man. Towering above her, his face so red that Nancy thought he might have a stroke, he continued to wave a finger in her face.

«I knew you'd joined the circus and I let you stay because you were a good rider,» he went on. «But I've had spies trailing you. So don't think you've put anything over on me, you little sneak!»

«Nancy has done nothing wrong,» Lolita said stanchly. «She's done a good job in this circus.»

The ringmaster gave a harsh chuckle. «But no thanks to you. I suppose you were snooping through this bureau because Nancy Drew asked you to. What were you looking for?»

Lolita looked pleadingly at Nancy. She did not know whether to answer him or not.

Nancy decided it was time for her to speak.

«Mr. Kroon,» she said, «what is so dreadful about your daughter looking in your bureau? Goodness, whenever I want a big hanky I go to my father's chest of drawers.»

Kroon was not fooled by Nancy's play acting. At the top of his lungs, he shouted:

«You get out of this circus and stay out!»

«But what will happen to the Vascons' act?» Lolita spoke up.

Kroon said that Rosa would perform that afternoon or the whole troupe could leave the circus at once. In no case was Nancy Drew to appear. She was to pack her things immediately and go back to River Heights.

In the doorway Dan Webster could remain silent no longer. Stepping inside, he began to plead for Nancy to remain. The ringmaster would not listen.

Nancy, seeing that it was useless to argue with him, looked straight at Kroon and said, «I'll go, but not until you give me back my bracelet!»

Kroon gave a slight start, but instantly recovered his poise.

«What are you talking about?» he bellowed.

«I'm talking about a gold bracelet with horse charms. The bracelet was stolen from my house and I have good reason to believe that you have it.»

Kroon's eyes blazed. He said that he ought to have Nancy arrested for accusing him of being a thief. It was defamation of character. It was only because of her age that he would not prosecute.

«Now get out of here, every one of you!» he yelled, and shoved them all through the doorway.

He followed the others outside, then slammed the door and locked it.

«Lolita,» he said, «go to your quarters. And if you ever dare to communicate with Nancy Drew again, I'll punish you in a way you'll never forget.»

He turned toward Nancy and said sneeringly, «I suppose I ought to thank you for helping us out in the circus. But, under the circumstances, you don't deserve anything. Good-by and good riddance!»

The ringmaster strode away. Lolita, ill from fright, hurried off to her own trailer. Nancy felt it best not to intrude.

She walked off with Dan Webster, who asked her if she were willing to take a chance on remaining with the circus. Surprised, the young sleuth remarked that this would hardly be safe.

«I would hate to see the Vascons fired,» Dan said. «But I'm afraid that's what will happen. I dropped into the doctor's this morning. He said Rosa would not be able to ride for at least a month.»

«Oh,» said Nancy, «you wouldn't expect me to hide in the circus and pinch-hit for her all that time?»

Dan Webster shook his head, saying he could not expect that much. But the following week, the circus did not have commitments for a few days.

«During that time I'm sure we can find another substitute rider,» Dan told her.

«In other words,» said Nancy, «you want me to finish out this week.»

«That's the idea. How about it?»

Nancy said she was willing, if she could possibly get away with the subterfuge. It would give her a chance to do more sleuthing in the circus. On the spur of the moment, a plan came to her.

«Suppose I room with someone else in the circus,» she said. «Rosa can move back to Erika's tent. Since Mr. Kroon probably will be watching to see that she goes into the big top, Rosa might dress and ride in the parade. Then, when it's time for her act, I'll substitute for her.»

Dan Webster smiled. «We'll do it! I'll arrange for you to stay at the hospital tent. Kroon would never think of looking for you there.» He winked. «And besides, the doc and his nurse are good friends of mine.»

Nancy now told the horse trainer that she was fearful Kroon might return to his trailer and take the bracelet away. She did not want this to happen and asked if Dan Webster could possibly play detective for her again.

«You did very well the last time you became a sleuth,» she encouraged him.

The horse trainer laughed and said that he did not believe he could get away with it a second time. Kroon would be sure to know something was up. Dan suggested that one of his midget friends act as lookout.

«Little Will is to be trusted implicitly,» he said.

Nancy knew the pleasant little man and consented to the plan. Then Nancy told Dan Webster that she was going to telephone her friends, Bess and George, in River Heights and ask them to drive over to Danford.

«Kroon may discover the ruse we've planned,» she said. «In that case, I'll need some transportation home. And besides, the girls can relieve Little Will in watching Mr. Kroon's trailer.»

At once Nancy telephoned George, who promised that she and Bess would start immediately for Danford.

«I'll be hiding in the hospital tent, George. Come there.»

It was shortly before the afternoon performance that the cousins arrived. Bess was aghast to hear what had transpired and tried her best to coax Nancy into going home with her and George at once. But the girl detective contended that it was important for her to stay.

«Kroon is bound to find out,» Bess insisted. «You're just taking your life in your hands.»

Nancy said she was sure that no harm could come to her with so many people around. Just before time for the parade, Dan Webster came to tell Nancy that Little Will was hard at work. He had watched the trailer constantly. Mrs. Kroon had entered it directly after luncheon and had not come out since.

«How would it be if I relieve your midget friend now?» George proposed. «I don't care about seeing the circus performance again.»

Nancy thought that this was a good idea. George went off, but Bess remained with Nancy. She would act as messenger to carry the riding costume back and forth. Presently the gong sounded for the parade to begin.

Rosa, seated on the beautiful horse, took her position, and Nancy watched from a near-by place of concealment. As the girl detective had predicted, Kroon was on hand to meet her. He smiled in satisfaction.

Apparently completely satisfied that his orders were being carried out, the ringmaster did not stay in the tent when the Vascon troupe entered. Nancy felt a little nervous at first but did her act well.

When the performance was over, she quickly ran to the hospital tent. After she removed her costume, Bess hurried with it to Rosa. She returned in a few minutes and reported that her cousin was still on duty. Little Will had said he would eat his supper and then take George's place until he had to perform again.

Presently three supper trays were brought in and the two girls began to eat.

«Nancy, why don't you turn this case over to the police?» Bess suggested.

Nancy said she hated to do so without more evidence.

«But you can't keep up this watching and performing. You'll need sleep,» Bess argued. «And George and I can't help you much longer. We'll have to go home in a little while.»

«Oh, please stay overnight,» Nancy requested. «By tomorrow I'm sure we'll find out about the bracelet. Would you mind calling home and telling your mother and George's you'll be here?»

Bess finally agreed and made the call. Then, fearfully, she went off to take George's place while her cousin came to eat her supper in the hospital tent.

«Kroon didn't come here while you were gone, thank goodness,» she reported when George returned.

George waited for Little Will to arrive. When he did, the midget said he had scarcely an hour to be on duty. Would she be sure to return in time? George spent the intervening time with Nancy and Bess but was back on time. Still Kroon had not arrived, and Mrs. Kroon had not left the trailer.

The evening performance came to a close, without the ringmaster suspecting that Nancy had been pinch-hitting for Rosa. Relieved, Nancy had just reached the hospital tent when George rushed in.

«Nancy! News!» she cried.

She related how Kroon had sneaked up to the trailer from the rear. Mrs. Kroon had handed him a small package through the side window. The ringmaster, in turn, had given it to the son of one of the aerial artists and told him to mail it.

«I followed the boy downtown toward the post office,» said George. «As we got near a light, I started to run and pretended to bump into him. He dropped the package and I looked at the address on it. And listen to this: it was going to Lola Flanders, care of Tristam Booking Agency in New York City!»

«Oh, George, you're wonderful!» Nancy cried gleefully. «We'll go right to the telephone, call up the local police chief, and ask him to get in touch with the New York police. They'll be able to investigate that package and the booking agency too, and even find Mrs. Flanders!»

The excited girls raced from the tent and hurried to the telephone booth. George waited outside, while Nancy stepped in and closed the door. She picked up the receiver and put in a coin. When there was no response, Nancy realized that the telephone was out of order.

«I'll ask George to run down to headquarters and take my message to the chief,» she decided.

Opening the door, Nancy was amazed to find that her friend was gone. As she looked around, suddenly a thick dark cloth was drawn over her head—tighter and tighter.

Nancy struggled, but it was useless. She finally blacked out!