Every face in the crowd looked anxious—some disheartened and desperate.
Bad luck attended the southern trip of the show. They had reached Montgomery in the midst of a terrific rain storm. Two animal cars had been derailed and wrecked on the route.
Three days later a wind storm nearly tore the main top to tatters. Some of the performers fell sick, due to the change of climate. Others foresaw trouble, and joined other shows in the north.
The season started out badly and kept it up. The attendance as they left the big cities was disastrously light.
They had to cut out one or two towns here and there, on account of bad roads and accidents. Now the show had reached Lacon, and after more trouble found itself stalled.
To be "stalled," Andy had learned was to be very nearly stranded. No salaries had been paid for a full fortnight. Some of the performers had gotten out executions against the show.
Aside from this, on account of the absence of many attractions advertised in the show bills, disappointed audiences were showing an ugly spirit.
The show was tied up by local creditors, who would not allow it to leave town until their bills were paid.
To make matters worse, Sim Dewey, the treasurer of the show, had run away with eleven thousand dollars two days before.
This comprised the active capital of the show. Not a trace of the whereabouts of the mean thief had been discovered.