The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-06-16
CHAPTER 80
SINISTER CURRENTS


"IxT0ULD you know Fazzini from
uene of his brothers?" inquired
Dirk, rFrom the chef for instance?"
"This was no Chef" smiled the
astute DilRiddie.
Dirk was silent and Logan said,
II have also the information re-
garding Merritt's Wonder Show.
You asked me for it some time ago,
but it took time. The show went
broke, it seems. and disbanded,
down in Rome. Georgia. Akin. an as
sociate of mine in Atlanta, got the
facts from the circus book-keeper
before the troupe melted away.
While he was. not in time to find
Merritt, the book-keeper told him all
there was to know about Torrobin
and the clown.
81. Torrobin, he was listed. and
his boy. the clown. was known as
Roddie. Here's Atkins letter. Shall
/ hold the fash so you can read it?"
Tell me what he says" Dirk an.
swered. Somehow, he had little in
terest new in Torrobin and the
clown.
you know, of course" said Lo-
gan. that this j. Torrobin and his
boy are the same pair you had me
investigate as T Jones and his son.
after the rodeo. found then they
gave practically no address at all to
the rodeo booker. AMI disappeared
after the rodeo closed. In the circus
they had no address either. joined
it while it was in Jersey. and lived
with the troupe.
ait was the boys daredevil rid
ing that got them the circus job"
(Logan was reading from the letter
now Merritt was under the
weather at the time. and Torrobin
became sort of submanager while
the show was in Jersey Torrobin
was heartily disliked by the troupe.
though the boy was rather a favor
tie. especially with SelOrita Leonor.
the equestrienne. The boy was indif-
ferent 70 Leonor, which was just as
well. Leonor's previous love had
been Carlo. the lion-tamer. and Carlo
was not receptive to any change of
heart on LeOnor's part.
1.-The boy was injured during his
act the night the show started south.
Merritt, however. had had no inten.
ton Of taking the act south with
him, because of Torrobin's unpopu.
Earity. The troupe dated all it's bad
luck from the Hiring of Torrobin.
"There was certainly bad luck
a.plenty. rainy weather not being
the least of it. Then, just before the
show left. both Carlo and Leonor
disappeared. Nobody knew why at
the time. but they realized what
foresight the two had shown when
Madame Chowdhury. the fortune
teller. was arrested further down
the road on charges of blackmail.
Carlo and Leonor were involved.
and the authorities were also out for
Torrobin. The four had been con.
Quoting a form of the old badger
game, l understand. Leonor was
petite and pretty, and acted as a de-
coy.
",'Merritt's circus had been
clean little show up till then. Mer.
rift was already sick. and pretty
near broke, and the business of
Chowdhury finished him. Nobody
knows where he went.
: "'Torrobin. Leonor and Carlo.
are still at large. Leonor. it is
thought, escaped to her home in Rio
de Jaheiro. Carlo may have gone
with her. Torrobin may still be in
New York. A boy who looked and
rode like Roddie. the clown, is said
to have pulled down big money in
the rodeo there lately. -
"VITELL. said Logan. that's about
w all. This ]. Torrobin or T.
Jones seems to be pretty much of a
5inx. Want me to try to get more
about him."
Dirk said no. And since their
watch at the gate had accomplished
its end mot the end you think"
he heard himself say-it might be
discontinued after tonight.
MRS. Joris is too ill.," he said, "to
go out >. to need attendance of that
kind"
Dinwiddie remarked,
81 thought she looked sick. /
thought she walked like it"
In his room Dirk read again the
letter from Logan's associate. 1t con.
tanned no further allusion to Sem
orita Leonor, and no allusion at all
to any equestrian substitute she
may have had. He had not ques-
toned Hopes account Of herself.
had not doubtedsthat she was a par