Johnny felt something touch his hand. The instant his fingers closed upon it, he knew what it was.
"The ring!" he exclaimed.
"Yes; that"s it," she laughed. "The twins told me all about it last night. Of course we didn"t know it was yours, or we wouldn"t have kept it. When we first found it, we three girls thought it was gla.s.s. When we discovered it was a real diamond, we were already in Chicago and didn"t know what to do, so we just kept it, and took turns wearing it. But Johnny, when you had it in your hands that day, why didn"t you keep it?"
"That"s what I don"t know," smiled Johnny. "I guess you were such a good sport I hated to lose you as a friend, and I hoped a better time would come."
"It has come, Johnny; but something tells me I am the one to lose a pal.
You"ll leave the circus?"
"Yes," Johnny admitted reluctantly. "I guess I"m going to do that."
"It"s always the way with a person who is used to living in a house,"
sighed Gwen. "The circus is for circus people. Anyway, I can wish you good luck!"
They rose. She put out her hand. He gripped it heartily.
"And Johnny, if ever the big top calls to you, just remember the outfit I"m with, and there"ll be a job waiting for you. I"ll want you for my clown."
She turned and walked rapidly away.
Johnny watched her for a moment, then, crossing the bridge, made his way toward the farm house where the twins were awaiting him. He would escort them back to a safe dwelling place; the ring should be returned to them, and if possible, he was resolved that the circus career of the millionaire twins should be a secret shared only by those to whom it was already known.