The Crimson Flash Part 8

He did not finish, for just then the van of the procession entered the wing, and he slipped away behind the canvas to await Millie Gonzales and the three grays.

"Say pard," he whispered to a circus hand standing beside him, "who's this queen of the circus?"

"Don't you know?" the other asked in surprise. "That's Gwen Maysfield, the tight-rope dancer. A regular sport she is, too; can box like a man.

Packs a wallop, too. I've seen her knock this fellow who boxes the bear clean over the ropes."

"Boxes the bear?"

"Sure. Don't you know the act? Feller's got a bear; rides bicycles, and all that. One of his stunts is to put on the gloves with the big silver-gray. Of course it's a frost. Bear could knock him a mile, if he wanted to."

Johnny said no more, but soon began piecing together his bits of information. Gwen was the queen of the circus. She was also one of the three at whose feet the diamond ring had dropped. She liked boxing. If only he could manage to get a few rounds with her, that might break down the social barrier that stood between them. Then he could ask her about the ring. But she was the queen, and he only a groom. How was he to manage it? She boxed with the performer who boxed the bear. Perhaps he could make the acquaintance of this bear boxer.

The time was approaching when Millie and her three grays were to go on.

He hastened away to his work.

That night in the animal tent, while the exhibition was in full swing, while thousands were crowding before the long line of cages, there occurred a strange and startling incident; a cage plainly marked BLACK LEOPARD had appeared, in the uncertain light of night, entirely empty.

"Guess that's a fake," a spectator grumbled.

"What is it?" asked a child.

"Says 'Black p.u.s.s.y,'" smiled the father, "but I guess there isn't any."

"Oh, Papa, I want to see the black p.u.s.s.y!" wailed the child, clinging to the ropes, and refusing to move along.

The father was striving to quiet the child when, of a sudden, a flash of crimson light brought out the dark corners of the cage in bold relief. It was gone in a twinkling, but in that time a raging fury of black fur, flas.h.i.+ng claws and gleaming eyes leaped against the bars.

The child screamed, the father swore softly. There was a succession of exclamations from the crowd. A colored attendant, who chanced to be pa.s.sing with a bundle of straw, dropped his burden to stare, open mouthed, at the cage.

When he again put his trembling fingers to the bundle of straw, it was to mutter:

"Tain't no safe place fer a 'spectable colored man to wuck. 'T'ain' safe.

All dem raid flashes ever'whar. Can't fry po'k chops fer 'em. Can't wuck, can't do nuttin'."

That night, after the grand performance was concluded, after the surging crowd had pa.s.sed out, after the arc lights had fluttered, blinked, and then left the place in darkness, Johnny went out for a breath of fresh air before turning into the bunk a.s.signed to him. He was walking around the end of the big top when a sudden flash of crimson appeared against the canvas. It was a flash only, remaining not one second, but Johnny paused to listen.

In another moment there came a whispered, "h.e.l.lo, Johnny," and Pant appeared.

"You work for this circus?" Johnny asked.

"No. You?"

"Yes, got a job to-day."

"What?"

"Horses."

"Good. That puts you inside. You can help me, Johnny--help me a lot, and believe me, kid, it's big--the biggest thing we ever worked on." Pant's words came quick and tense.

"What is it?"

"Can't tell you now, but you can help. Here, take these three Liberty Bonds. They're good ones. You take 'em over town and sell 'em. Here's a hundred iron men. You buy me five more bonds from these circus men, see?

Any of 'em. You're inside, see? You can do it. Buy five. They've got 'em.

They'll sell 'em, too."

"I call that light business, dealing in Liberty Bonds on a small margin,"

grumbled Johnny. "What shall I pay?"

"Thirty-nine."

"n.o.body but a crazy man would sell 'em for that."

"Mebbe not, Johnny, but they'll sell 'em. Pay more, if you have to. The game's a big one, I tell you. So long." Pant vanished into the night.

CHAPTER V STRANGE DOINGS IN THE NIGHT

The following day Johnny carried out Pant's wish in the matter of selling the three Liberty Bonds. When it came to picking up other bonds at Pant's excessively low price, he experienced greater difficulty than had s...o...b..ll. Indeed, in all his time off duty he secured only one bond.

"Guess I haven't struck the right spot yet," was his mental comment.

"I'll try again to-morrow."

It was just as he was about to return to his dapple grays that he received a sudden shock. He had been idly glancing over the "Daily News"

when a headline caught his eye:

"Offers $1,000 Reward for Return of Lost Gem."

Quickly he read down the column, then his face fell.

"Guess he thinks I stole it," he muttered.

It certainly looked that way, for Major MacDonald had publicly offered a reward of a thousand dollars for the return of the ring, and had made it plain that no questions would be asked.

"They won't be asked, either." Johnny set his teeth hard. "I'll let him know that he can keep his reward. I'll get that ring back, and I'll send it to him with no return address."

Even as he spoke, he started. A new thought had struck him. What if the girl who had the ring should read of the reward and return the jewelry?

Where would he be then?

"He'd think I had stolen it and given it to a circus girl," Johnny groaned. "Then what would he think of me?"

But the next moment he was resolute again. "I'll get next to that boxing bear fellow right away, and I'll cultivate the acquaintance of Millie, if she cuts my face open with that whip of hers. I'll win yet! Watch my smoke!"

He hastened away, resolved upon getting better acquainted with Millie Gonzales at once.