The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-05-16
Chapter Four
CIRCUS QUEEN

tfSSS
"ENTER!" the woman intoned
II and beloved forward. Arriving
at Dirk, she smiled, showing rather
"s1 teeth. She looked him over, a
1lue-eyed young man in white sum-
mer-hannels and light shetland top
coat. bare-headed young man with
drops of rain on his bright chestnut
hair. y young man all alone.
Come in," she said more softly.
81 tell your future and your past.
tell names and places. l conceal
nothing"
1t sounded much too thorough.
and as Madame Cbowdhury lifted
an inner curtain. Reckoning with
fat dark hand. Dirk murmured that
he was merely looking for some one,
and dropped the flap.
No knowing when Isabel would
appear. and there would be the SEES
t sion with Madame Chowdhury for
Natalie before they could leave. He
had left the umbrella in the car.
would wait in the in tent out OF
the vet. Buying a ticket, he went in.
found seat low in the reserved
tiers.
The trapezists were performing.
flying here and there to swing from
aach ut n hands Tho ~ in drIDpod
through the seams of the tent. The
rungs to which the performers rIung
must be wet. he though Presently
the man and woman in their pink
tights bounded to the ring and ran
out. making way for the clown,
spotted. tumbling fellow whose en-
trance woke a squeal of juvenile
laughter.
man stood at the performers
exit not far from Dirk Heavy-set.
dressed in loose-litting rather seedy
Clothes. he leaned against the edge
of the tiers. .atching the rings A
weathered panama hat was pulled
down on his face, throwing it in
shadow, a face thick-set like his
body. heavyjawed. with a Dubious
nose and ragged black mustache.
An unlighted cigar twisted at the
corner of his mouth. and his eyes
stayed with the clown and the ring
master. not missing a move. not
laughing 1t was an old story to him.
4 GUST of applaus and laughter
followed the exit of the clown.
'Firetiy!" the ring master shouted.
sqd Dirk turned to see girl flying
into the arena on a coal-black horse.
The girl was dressed in red-tight
red trousers. fiaring at the ankles.
silver buttons down the side, a sill
ver-and-red bOlerO. white SOM
brero.
Slim and straight she stood. TAX
ing off her hat as she came. holding
it in her hand. Her hair rose and
fell. a long curling bob. black as the
horse. She seemed as much part
of her mount as il she had been a
flaming wing.
Now she had dropped into the
saddle. had furg her sOmbrero on
the ground. Round and round the
ring she went. the horse gathering
speed. Suddenly she had swooped
under him, and left her saddle, was
in it again, while the crowd ap-
plauded. Now she stood with one
foot on the horses head and one in
the saddle. crouching slightly. a fly
ing pose, a beautiful pose.
The man in the panama hat still
stood at the exit. There was no
anxiety in his face any more than
there had been amusement while
the clown performed. He was en-
lowed with faith. or with indiffer-
er"e
1t was over. Firefly had dropped
again into the saddle. had leaned
over to recover ner sombrero. wav-
ing with it to the app.auding crowd.
putting it on. Now she was standing
as she had stood at the first, was
riding from the ring.
DIRK. clapping loudly. stood as
- she passed him. Their eyes met,
and a little smile touched the cor
ners of her mouth. Dirk snatched
the rose from his lapel, and with
deft movement flung 1t to her.
"Bravo!" he shouted.
She caught the token lightly,
thrust it into the neck of her blouse.
galloped out.
Almost at once the horse re-
turned. reins dangling. the clown
jumping at his side. endeavoring
to mount him. Now he succeeded.
attempting to stand on his back as