Some little time elapsed before Joe found a chance to speak to Jim Tracy. There had been a slight accident to one of the circus wagons in unloading from the train for that day's show, and the ring-master was kept very busy. One of the elephants was slightly hurt also.
But finally the confusion was straightened out, and our hero had a chance to ask the question that was troubling him.
"What had become of Helen?"
"Why, I don't know where she went," Jim Tracy said. "She came to me almost as soon as we got in this morning, and wanted to know if she could have the afternoon off."
"Cut out her act?" Joe asked.
"That's it. Of course I didn't want to lose her out of the show, but as long as we're going to be here two days, and considering the fact that she hadn't had a day off since the show started out this season, I said she might go. And so she went—at least I suppose she did."
"Yes, she's gone," Joe replied. "But where?"
Jim Tracy did not know and said so. He was too busy to talk much more about it.
"She'll be back in time for the evening performance—that's all I know," he told Joe.
The young trapeze' performer sought out the old clown and told him what had taken place.
"Helen gone!" exclaimed Bill. "That's queer!"
"I thought maybe you'd know about it, Bill."
"Me? No, not a thing. She never said a word to me. Are you sure you and she didn't have any—er—little tiff?"
"Of course not!" and Joe blushed under his tan. "She didn't tell me she was going."
"Oh, well, she'll be back to-night, Jim says. I guess she's all right. Now I've got to get busy."
But Joe was not satisfied. It was not like Helen to go off in this way, and he felt there was something strange about it.
"I do hope she isn't going to try to make any more investments with her money—that is with what she has left," he mused. "Maybe she heard of some other kind of stock she can buy, and she thinks from the profits of that she can make up for what she is sure to lose in the oil investment. Poor Helen! It certainly is hard luck!"
Joe thought so much of his new theory that he visited the circus treasurer with whom Helen had left some of her money.
"No, it's here in the safe—what she left with me," the treasurer said. "Too bad about her losing that nice sum, wasn't it? It will take her quite a while to save that much."
"I wish I had hold of the law clerk who tricked her into buying the oil stock," said Joe with energy. "I'd make him eat the certificates, and then I'd—well, I don't know what I would do."
"But you haven't got him," said the treasurer, "and I guess their kind take good care to keep out of the way of those they've swindled."
"I guess so," Joe agreed.
There was nothing he could do at present, and he had soon to go on with his act. But Joe Strong made up his mind if Helen were not back early to make a thorough search for her.
"That is if I can get any trace of her," he went on. "She may run into danger without knowing it, for she hasn't had much experience in life, even if she is a circus rider."
Joe was himself again now. His muscles seemed to have benefited by the rest, and the young trapeze performer went through all his old acts, alone and with the Lascalla Brothers, and Joe also put on one or two new things, or, rather, variations of old ones.
In one part of his performance he balanced himself upon his neck and shoulders on a trapeze high up in the top of the tent. He was almost standing upon his head. While this is not difficult for a performer to do when the trapeze is stationary it is not easy when the apparatus is swinging. Joe was going to try that.
A ring hand pulled on a light rope attached to the trapeze on which Joe was thus balanced on his neck and set the bar and ropes in motion. They moved slowly, and through only a short arc at first. But in a little while Joe, in his perilous position, was executing a long swing.
His feet were pressed against the ropes and his hands were on his hips. He balanced his body instinctively in this posture. But this was not all of the trick.
When the trapeze was swinging as high as he wanted it, Joe suddenly brought his legs together. For an instant he poised there on the bar, supporting himself on his neck and shoulders, as straight as an arrow.
Then, with a shout to warn those below, he fell over in a graceful curve, and began a series of rapid somersaults in the air.
Down he fell, the hushed attention of the big crowd being drawn to him. Just before reaching the life net, Joe straightened out and fell into the meshes feet first, bouncing out on a mat and from there bowing his thanks for the applause.
Thus Joe brought his act to a close for that afternoon, and he was glad of it for he wanted to go out and see if Helen had returned. As soon as he had changed to his street clothes he sought her tent.
The women of the circus dressed together, each one in a sort of canvas screened apartment, and in the Sampson Brothers' Show they also had a sort of ante-room to the dressing tent, where they could receive their friends.
There was no one in this room when Joe entered, save some of the maids which the higher-salaried circus women kept to help them dress, "make up" and so on.
"Is Miss Morton in?" asked Joe of a maid who knew him.
"No, Mr. Strong. I don't believe she has returned yet. I'll go and look in her room, though." The maid came back shaking her head.
"She isn't there," she told Joe.
"I wonder where she can be," he mused. "Why didn't she leave some word? Are you sure there wasn't a letter or anything on her trunk?" he inquired of the maid.
"Well, I didn't look. You may go in if you like. I guess it will be all right."
None of the performers were in the dressing tent then, being out in the big one doing their acts. Joe knew his way to Helen's room, having been there many times, for there would often be little impromptu gatherings in it to talk over circus matters between the acts.
He looked about for a letter, thinking she might have left one for him before going away. He saw nothing addressed to himself, but on the ground, where it had evidently dropped, was an open note. Joe could not help reading it at a glance. To his surprise it was signed by Sanford, the tricky law clerk.
"I shall be glad to see you if you will call on me when you reach Lyledale," the letter read. "I am glad you think of buying more stock. I have some to sell. I will be at the Globe Hotel."
"Whew!" whistled Joe. "It's just as I feared. She's been doing business with Sanford again—trying to make good her loss on the oil stock. He has an appointment with her here in Lyledale. That's where she's gone—to meet him. She must have sold some of her other securities to get money to buy more stock. I must stop this. I've got to follow her. Poor Helen!"
Joe had found out what he wanted to know by accident. Helen, he reasoned, must have received the letter that day, or perhaps the day before, and had planned to meet Sanford on reaching Lyledale where the circus was then playing. In order to do this she had to be excused from the afternoon performance.
"But I'll put a stop to that deal if I can," Joe declared. "I'll tell her how foolish and risky it is to invest any more money with Sanford. I only hope she'll believe me."
Joe's time was his own until the night performance. He decided he would at once follow Helen to the hotel and there remonstrate with her, if it were not too late.
"Queer that she kept it a secret from all of us," remarked Joe as he started for town. "I guess she knew we'd try to stop her from throwing good money after bad, as they say. Well, now to see what luck I'll have."
The Globe Hotel was the best and largest in town. Joe had no difficulty in finding it, and on inquiring at the desk was told that Mr. Sanford was a guest at the place.
"He has two rooms," the clerk told Joe. "One he uses as an office, where he does business."
"Oh, then he's been here before?" Joe asked.
"Oh, yes, often. I don't know what his business is, but I think, he is a sort of stock and bond dealer."
"More like a stock and bond swindler," thought Joe.
"Mr. Sanford will see you in a few minutes," the bellboy reported to Joe, having come back from taking up our hero's card. "There's a lady in the office with him now."
"A young lady?" Joe asked.
"Yes," nodded the bellboy.
"I'll go up now!" decided Joe. "I think he might just as well see me now as later."
"Maybe he won't like it," the clerk warned him.
"I don't care whether he likes it or not!" cried Joe. "It may be too late if I don't go up now. You needn't bother to announce me," he said to the bell-boy who offered to accompany Joe to show the way. "I guess I can find the room all right."
Joe rode up in the elevator, and turned down the corridor leading to the two rooms occupied by Sanford. Pausing at the door of the outer room, Joe heard voices. He recognized one as Helen's.
"She's there all right," mused Joe. "I hope I'm not too late!"
He was about to enter when he heard Helen say: "Please give it back to me. It isn't fair to take advantage of me this way."
"You went into this with your eyes open," Sanford replied. "It was a straight business deal, and I'm not to blame for the way it turned out. Now this stock——"
Joe waited no longer. He fairly burst into the room, crying:
"Helen, don't waste any more money on his worthless investments!"
It would have been difficult to say who was the more surprised by the sudden entrance of Joe Strong—Helen or the law clerk. Both seemed startled.
Once more Joe cried:
"Helen, don't throw away any more of your money on his stocks!"
"How dare you come in here?" demanded Sanford.
"Never mind about that," answered Joe coolly. "I know what I'm doing. I'm not going to see you get any more of her money."
"Oh, Joe. How did you know I was here?" asked Helen. "I didn't want any one to know I came."
"I found out. I feared this was what you'd do."
"Do what, Joe?"
"Buy more stock in the hope of making good your losses on the Circle City investment."
"But, Joe, I'm not doing that. I don't want to buy any more stock. I've had too much as it is."
"Then what in the world did you come here for?" cried Sanford. "You intimated that you wanted more stock. That's why I met you here—to sell it to you."
"Yes, I thought that's what you'd think," replied Helen, and she seemed less excited now than Joe Strong. "But what I came for was to sell you back these worthless oil certificates. I want my money back."
"Well, you won't get it!" sneered the law clerk. "You bought that stock and now——"
"Now she's going to sell it again," put in Joe. He seemed to understand the situation now.
"Helen," he went on, "I think it would be well if you left this matter in my hands. If you'll just go downstairs and to the nearest police station and ask an officer to step around here, I think we can find something for him to do."
"Police!" faltered Sanford.
"Oh, well, perhaps we won't need one," said Joe coolly, "but it's always best, in matters of this kind, to have one on hand. It doesn't cost anything. Just get an officer, Helen, and wait downstairs with him. I'll have a little talk with Sanford."
"Oh, Joe! I—I——!"
"Now, Helen, you just leave this to me. Run along."
Joe Strong seemed to dominate the situation. He displayed splendid nerve.
Helen went slowly from the room.
"The clerk will tell you where to find a policeman," Joe called to her. "You needn't tell him why one is needed. It may be that we shall get along without one, and there's no need of causing any excitement unless we have to."
"Joe—Joe," faltered Helen. "You will be careful—won't you?"
"Well," and Joe smiled quizzically, "I'll be as careful as he'll let me," and he nodded toward the law clerk.
"What do you mean?" demanded Sanford, uneasily.
"You'll see in a few minutes," said Joe calmly.
When Helen went out Joe, with a quick movement, closed and locked the hall door.
"What's that for?" cried Sanford.
"So you won't get out before I'm through with you."
The law clerk made a rush for Joe, endeavoring to push him to one side. But muscles trained on a typewriter or with a pen are no match for those used on the flying rings and trapeze.
With a single motion of his hand Joe thrust the clerk aside, fairly forcing him into a chair.
"Now then," said Joe calmly, "you and I will have a little talk. You needn't try to yell. If you do I'll stuff a bedspread in your mouth. And if you want to try conclusions with me physically—well, here you are!"
With a quick motion Joe caught the fellow up, and raised him high in the air, over his head.
"Oh—oh! Put me down! Put me down!" Sanford begged. "I—I'll fall!"
"You won't fall as long as I have hold of you," chuckled Joe. "But there's no telling when I might let go. Now let's talk business."
Trembling, Sanford found himself in the chair again.
"Did you sell Miss Morton any more stock?" demanded Joe.
"No—I—she—came here to buy, I thought, but——"
"Well, as long as she didn't it's all right. Now then about that oil stock you got her to invest her money in—is that stock good?"
"Why, of course it——"
"Isn't!" interrupted Joe, "and you knew it wasn't when you sold it to her. Now then I want you to take that stock back and return her money. And I don't want you to sell that stock to some other person, either. You just tear it up. It's worthless, and you know it. I want Miss Morton's money back for her."
"I haven't it!" whined the clerk.
"Then you know where to get it. I fancy if I tell Mr. Pike, of your law firm, what you've been up to——"
"Oh, don't tell him! Don't tell him!" whined the clerk. "He doesn't know anything about it. I—I just did this as a side line. If you tell him I'll lose my position and——"
"Well, I'll tell him all right, if you don't give back Miss Morton's money!" said Joe grimly.
"I tell you I haven't the cash."
"Then you must get it. You've been doing business here before, the hotel clerk tells me. Come now—hand over the cash—get it—and I'll let you go, though perhaps I shouldn't. If you don't pay up—well, the officer ought to be downstairs waiting for you now. Come!" cried Joe sharply. "Which is it to be—the money or jail?"
Sanford looked around like a cornered rat seeking a means of escape. There was none. Joe, big and powerful, stood between him and the door.
"Well?" asked Joe significantly.
"I—I'll pay her back the money," faltered Sanford. "But I'll have to go out to get it."
"Oh, no, you won't," said Joe cheerfully. "If you went out you might forget to come back. Here's a telephone—just use that."
Sanford sighed. His last chance was gone.
Just what or to whom he telephoned does not concern us. But in the course of an hour or so a messenger called with money enough to make good all Helen had risked in oil stock. The cash was handed to her.
"Here, you keep it for me, Joe," she said. "I don't seem to know how to manage my fortune."
"What about those stock certificates?" asked Sanford. "I want them back."
"They are worthless, by your own confession," replied Joe, "and you're not going to fool some one else on them. "We'll just keep them for souvenirs, eh, Helen?"
"Just as you say, Joe," she answered with a blush.
Sanford blustered, but to no purpose. He was beaten at his own game, and the fear of exposure and arrest brought him to terms.
"But you shouldn't have gone to him alone, Helen," remonstrated Joe, when they were on their way back to the circus with the recovered cash.
"Well, I'd been so foolish as to lose my money, that I wanted to see if I couldn't get it back again," she said. "I didn't want any of you to help me, as I'd already given trouble enough."
"Trouble!" cried Joe. "We would have been only too glad to help you."
"Well, you did it in spite of me," Helen said, with a smile. "I did not intend you should know where I had gone. How did you find out?"
"I saw a letter you dropped in the tent, and I followed. But how did you happen to locate Sanford?"
"By adopting just what Bill Watson said was the only plan. I made believe I wanted to buy more stock. Bill said that was the only way to catch Sanford. If I had tried to find him to get my money back he would have kept out of my way. But when he thought I might have more cash for him, he wrote and told me where I could find him. So I just waited until our show came here and then I called on Mr. Sanford.
"I was just begging him to give me back the money for the oil stock when you came in on us, Joe."
"Well, I'm glad I did."
"So am I. I hardly think he'd have paid me if it had not been for you. How did you make him settle?"
"Oh, I just sort of 'held him up' for it," but Joe did not explain the way he had actually "held up" the swindler.
"I'm so glad to get my money back!" Helen sighed as they reached the circus grounds, over which dusk was settling, for it was now early fall.
"And I'm glad, too," added Joe. "Then next time you buy oil stock——"
"There'll not be any next time," laughed Helen, as she went to give Rosebud his customary lumps of sugar.
And that night, in the Sampson Brother's Show, there was an impromptu little celebration over the recovery of Helen's money.
Later Joe learned that Sanford gave up his place in the law office. Perhaps the swindler was afraid Mr. Pike would find out about his underhand transactions. Sanford, it seemed, had done some law business for the oil company, and they let him sell some of the worthless stock for himself, allowing him to keep the money—that is what Joe did not make him pay back.
It was the night of the final performance. The performers went through their acts with new snap and daring, for it was the last time some of them would face the public until the following season. A few would secure engagements for the winter in theatres, but most of them would winter with the circus.
When the tents came down this time they would be shipped to Bridgeport, where many shows go into winter quarters.
"Well, Joe," remarked Helen, as she came out of the ring just as Joe finished his last thrilling feat, "what are you going to do? Will you be with us next season?"
"I don't know. I've had several offers to go with hippodrome exhibitions, and on a theatrical circuit."
"Oh, then you are going to leave us?"
Joe looked at Helen. There seemed to be a new light in her eyes. And though she was smiling, there was something of disappointment showing on her face. With parted lips she gazed at Joe.
"I thought perhaps you would stay," she murmured, her eyes downcast.
"I—I guess I will!" said Joe in a low voice. "This is a pretty good circus after all."
And so Joe stayed. And what he did in the show will be related in the next volume of this series, to be called: "Joe Strong, the Boy Fish; Or, Marvelous Doings in a Big Tank."
The chariots rattled their final dusty way around the big tent. The "barkers" came in to sell tickets for the "grand concert." The animal tent was already down for the last time that season. With the ending of the concert the bugler blew "taps." The torches went out.
"Good night, Joe," said Helen.
"Good night, Helen," he answered, and as they clasped hands in the darkness we will say good-bye to Joe Strong.
The End