Part 43 (1/2)
CHAPTER XXV.
FOUND!
When the performance came to an end Fortune suggested to Uncle William that he should go to the best hotel in the place, and give Iris and Apollo some tea. Iris was loath to leave Fortune's side, but Fortune bent down and whispered to her to obey.
”I am on the trail,” she said, ”and I don't want to be interrupted. I don't mind telling you, Iris, that the tea is all an excuse. You get your uncle to take you to the hotel, and keep him there until I join him. Now, go off this minute, like a good girl.”
Iris looked into Fortune's small, but honest, eyes, and felt once again that her feel was leading her in the right direction.
”Uncle William, I should like some tea very much,” she said.
”Well, then, my dear, if you want tea you shall have it,” replied Uncle William.
He hailed a fly, and took the children immediately to the best hotel in the town.
When Fortune found herself alone she turned round, and gazed to right and left of her. The great tent was almost empty, for the spectators had all departed; a few, however, were standing in little groups talking to one another. Fortune edged near one of these. It consisted of a good-looking young man and two pretty girls. They were standing opposite the poster which gave such a lifelike account of little Diana and Orion.
”I see you are reading that poster,” said Fortune, ”and maybe you're interested?”
”Why, of course we are,” said one of the girls, turning and looking at Fortune.
”Now, I wonder,” continued Fortune Squeers, ”if it lies anywhere in your power to give me a bit of help? Fact is, I'm interested in the children described in that poster, and as I was sitting inside the circus, I heard a neighbor say that the children belonging to your show were not present. Being an American, I never lose any clews, and there may be just the ghost of a chance that the children who were not at the performance to-day are the very identical same children that are written about in that there poster. Maybe you has heard of those children--that is, if you are Madersley folk?”
”Yes, yes; we are Madersley folk,” said the young man, now turning and speaking eagerly to Fortune.
”Well, sir, do you know anything about the children who were not in the circus to-day?”
”I have heard of them, of course,” said the man. ”Don't you remember, Amelia,” he added, ”when I came home last Sat.u.r.day night how I told you we must go and see Holt's circus, for he had got a little girl who was riding wonderfully? I could not manage it on Sat.u.r.day, and to-day, it seems, she's off.”
”And he had a boy as well, hadn't he?” said Fortune.
”Yes, there was talk of a boy; but he didn't seem to have the spirit of his sister. Anyhow, they are neither of them playing to-day, and, for my part, I thought the performance lame.”
”Well, that's my opinion,” said Fortune. ”No American would go the length of the road to see anything so poor and common. And so the children are off--but the children were on. Now, I wish to goodness I could see those children.”
”I don't suppose they have anything to do with the lost children who are spoken of in these posters,” said the man. ”They say they were brown as gypsies, that the boy was timid, and the girl rode wonderfully. She must have been trained for some time to ride as well as she did.”
Not being able to get anything more out of these folks, Fortune turned on her heel and wandered in another direction. She crossed the entrance to the great tent, and made for the exit at the opposite side of the field. In doing this she ran right up against a fair-haired, rather pretty circus girl.
”My dear,” said Fortune, ”you'll excuse my stopping to speak to you, but will you tell me if I can get into the town by the gate yonder?”
”It's rather a roundabout way,” answered the girl, ”but you can go, of course. You will have to walk quite a way down a country lane, then turn to your left, and it will bring you to the other side of the town.”
”Fact is,” continued Fortune, ”I'm anxious to see some more of those posters. I'm mighty took with them. They seem to describe a most elegant little pair of children.”
The girl uttered a sigh and changed color.
”Maybe, miss,” said Fortune, fixing her with her keen eyes, ”you can tell me something about 'em? Now, if you could, and would, it would be worth your while.”