CHAPTER XXIII
TAMING A LION TAMER
Agnes was both frightened and angry as she listened to the man in the topboots. He was such a coarse, rude fellow (or so she decided on the instant) that she found herself fairly hating him!
Beside, she was well aware that he referred to Neale O'Neil. He had come for Neale. He threatened to beat Neale with every snap of his heavy riding whip along the leg of his shiny boots. He was a beast!
That is what Agnes told herself. She was quick to jump at conclusions; but she was not quick to be disloyal to her friends.
Nor was she frightened long; especially not when she was angry. She would not tremble before this man, and she gained complete control of herself ere she spoke again. She was not going to deliver Neale O'Neil into his hands by any mistake of speech—no, indeed!
The name of Twomley & Sorter's Herculean Circus and Menagerie struck a cord of memory in Agnes' mind. It was one of the two shows that had exhibited at Milton the season before.
This man said that Neale had run away from this show. He claimed his name was really Neale Sorber!
And all the time Neale had denied any knowledge of circuses. Or, had he done just that? Agnes' swift thought asked the question and answered it. Neale had denied ever having attended a circus as a spectator. That might easily be true!
Agnes' voice was quite unshaken as she said to the red-faced man: "I don't think the person you are looking for is here, sir."