Her eyes were flooded. "Thank you, David," she said softly. Then she quickly withdrew the flat purse from the bosom of her dress and handed it to Joey, not without a cautious look in all directions. The clown put it in his inside coat pocket without a word. "You must deposit it in a bank at N--," she went on hurriedly. "All but an amount sufficient to help you if you are obliged to suddenly fly from arrest. You understand. Joey will attend to it for you. You may depend on him and Casey to stand by you. In a few days we will be in Ohio. The danger will be small after that, Dav--I mean, Jack Snipe. I--I have worried about this money ever since--well, ever since last night. You _must_ not have it about you, nor is it safe with me. It is too large a sum to be placed in jeopardy. Perhaps, my boy, it is your entire fortune, who knows. The Jenison estate seems lost to you, cruelly enough. I am so very sorry." "I only want to think that none of you believe I committed the crime I am accused of," said David simply. "The money isn't anything." "We are not accusers," she said gravely. "Where is Brad?" demanded Grinaldi, his patience and diplomacy exhausted. "He is up in Colonel Grand's room at the hotel," she answered, as if that explained everything. "Talking business, I suppose," he said sarcastically. "Yes, they are settling certain details." She spoke in such a way that Joey looked up in alarm. "You don't mean to say you are--you are going to--" "No, not that, my friend," she said, quite calmly. "I didn't think so," said Joey fervently. Mrs. Braddock arose abruptly. "I must go to Christine. Will you come, Ruby?" Ruby followed her out of the tent, exchanging a quick glance with her father as she left the improvised table. "Come on, Jacky," said Joey. "Strip them clothes off and get to work. You've got a lot to learn. Ta, ta, Casey. Don't stay out in the rain. You'll melt your bones, if you've got any." David, somewhat depressed and very thoughtful, got into a portion of his clown's dress under the direction of his instructor, who was unusually cross and taciturn. As they started for the deserted ring, Joey took the boy's arm and said, with a diffidence that was almost pathetic: