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the accident had been kicked out of the way and seemed to have been forgotten by everyone but Nancy.
    “I thought the person who tried to strangle me had a grudge against me personally,” she mused. “But what could his motive have been for injuring the circus rider?”
    Recalling her first suspicions of the stableman at Roberto’s riding academy, Nancy wondered if it was possible that Hitch had perpetrated all three bits of mischief.
    “Hitch did warn me not to do any circus riding,” Nancy reminded herself. “Maybe he doesn’t want other girls to, either.”
    As the next act was announced, Nancy saw Chief of Police McGinnis of the River Heights force walk into the box she had occupied the evening before. He was wearing civilian clothes. Getting up, she hurried over and sat beside him.
    “Hello, Nancy,” he said genially. “What’s the mystery this time? Whenever you seek me out, I know something’s in the wind!”
    Nancy smiled and confessed that she did have a problem. She asked if he had reached the circus in time to see what had happened to the young bareback rider.
    “No,” the chief replied, “but the guard outside told me about the accident. Too bad. I was hoping the circus would get through the three days here without any trouble. But I suppose we have to expect such things.”
    “It’s my idea,” Nancy said thoughtfully, “that it was a deliberate attempt to injure the girl and her horse.”
    “What makes you think so?” the officer asked.
    Nancy told him what had happened to her the evening before with the very same kind of whip.
    The chief whistled. “Why didn’t you tell me this before now?” he demanded.
    Nancy explained that Ned had spoken to the circus policeman. “And we did search for the man,” she added.
    Chief McGinnis, who admired Nancy’s ability as a detective, remarked, “If you couldn’t find the man, it was probably because he skipped out.”
    “I also had a threatening note from the strangler,” Nancy went on. “I was going to bring it to you, but so many things have happened since then that I’ve had no chance. I did look it over carefully, Chief, and couldn’t find a clue to the writer.”
    “Well,” he said, smiling, “we’ll call your findings the preliminary investigation. Bring the note to headquarters. I’d like to give it a microscopic test.”
    Nancy promised to do so, then told Chief McGinnis her suspicions about Hitch. After she mentioned the stableman’s ·warning about stunt riding and the incident of the stone throwing, the officer advised Nancy to be wary.
    “I certainly think you have good reason to suspect that fellow Hitch,” he said. “I’ll put a detail on him right away.”
    Nancy returned to her seat and concentrated on Lolita’s act. The performance went off exceedingly well. When it ended and while Nancy was applauding with the enthusiastic crowd, an usher came up to her with a note.
    As she started to open it, Nancy’s breath came a little faster. Was this another warning? Had her unknown enemy seen her talking to the Chief of Police?
    A moment later the girl’s fears were allayed. The note was from Dan Webster, asking her to meet him in his office at once.
    Nancy rose and hurried from the tent. A hundred thoughts flashed through her mind before she reached the office. What could he want of her? As she walked in, Dan Webster smiled and offered her a chair. Then, looking directly at her, he said, “I won’t beat around the bush, Nancy. I want you to take the place of that injured bareback rider.”
    Nancy was so amazed she opened her mouth and closed it again without speaking. Then she managed to exclaim, “You want me to take that girl’s place!”
    “I told you this morning that you ride well enough to be in the circus.”
    “But I can’t perform like that girl!” Nancy objected. “She’s excellent. By the way, how is she?”
    Webster revealed that the young rider’s ankle had been sprained in the fall. The doctor