Free The Ringmaster's Secret by Carolyn G. Keene

once in a while one of the circus’s wild animals would cry out and disturb Nancy. But the regular troupers did not seem to mind the commotion and they slept soundly.
    The following morning at Danford, Nancy, left to herself, decided to do some investigating. She went from performer to performer, diplomatically asking about the Kroons, the circus itself, and particularly about Lolita’s parents. The young sleuth learned little that she did not already know until she came to the oldest of the clowns, a grizzled man named Leo Sanders.
    He was seated in front of his tent, looking through a scrapbook. Nancy squatted on the ground beside him, smiled, and chattily began to question him.
    “Before I tell you anything I know,” he said, “suppose you tell me why you want the information.”
    Quickly Nancy explained why she was trying to help Lolita and that she suspected there might be a secret in connection with the girl’s early life.
    Sanders began to turn the pages of the scrapbook. Reaching a section near the beginning of the book, he laid it face up on Nancy’s lap.
    “You may find some of the answers here,” he said.

CHAPTER XI
    A Unique Admission
    IN the old clown’s scrapbook, now on Nancy’s lap, were several pictures of performers and acts of the 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. For some reason it was hushed up.”
    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 tragic 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.”
    Sanders 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 pulse 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, “that John and Lola Flanders were supposed to have had a lot of money. Do you know whether this is true?”
    Again Sanders spoke in a low voice. “Yes, the couple made a fortune with their brilliant act. No one knows what became of the money. 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 when they were traveling abroad with 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