Nancy Drew #31. The Ringmaster’s Secret. Carolyn Keene

“Oh, I must see the necklace!” Nancy said. “Please take me to Lolita.”

The clown shook his head. He said that the aerialist was resting and must not be disturbed before the evening performance.

“It’s Kroon we must be careful about.” Pietro sighed. “I just don’t want him to become angry at Lolita.”

“I understand,” Nancy agreed. “Go ahead with your story.”

Pietro said that Lolita was Mr. and Mrs. Kroon’s adopted daughter. She had lived with them since she was eight years old.

“Have the Kroons and Lolita always been in the circus?” Nancy asked.

The clown nodded and said that Lolita’s own parents had been trapeze artists.

“They were known as the Flying Flanders,” he explained. “I’m told they were very fine performers.”

“What were their names?” Nancy questioned.

“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.

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