"Wake up, Sally," Bess, one of the dancers of the "girlie show," called to her, as she came shuffling into the tent on tortured feet. "Gus is ballyhooing your show."
Yes, her mind was made up. She would tell Enid Barr, beg her to intercede with the orphanage for her, and with the police for David. But there was no Enid Barr among the audience at the last show of the evening, and even Van Horne was absent. In spite of her good resolutions Sally felt an immense relief. Reprieve! She certainly could not give herself up if there was no one to give up to!
"Going to the show train to see David?" Gus whispered, when the last show was finished and the audience was straggling toward the exits.
"Of course!" Sally cried. "Is he worse? Don't hide anything from me, Gus--"
"Worse!" Gus laughed. "Bybee says he's yelling for food and threatens to get up and cook it himself if they don't give him something besides mush and milk. Come along! I'll walk you over to the show train. You're too pretty to be allowed to go alone. Some village dude would be trying to kidnap you."
They found David sitting up in his berth, working crossword puzzles, Mrs. Bybee sitting on the edge of his bed to jot down the words as he gave them to her.
"Reckon you won't need the old lady now that the young 'un's come to hold your hand and make a fuss over you," Mrs. Bybee grumbled jealously.
"What's that? What's that?" Winfield Bybee, who had come over from the carnival grounds in a service car, demanded from the doorway. "Been flirting with my wife, young man? Reckon I'll have to put the gloves on with you when that crippled wing of yours is O. K. Well, Sally, old Pop has done you another good turn."
Sally paled and reached instinctively for David's left hand. "Oh! You mean--Mrs. Barr, the lady who was talking to you?"
"Nothing else but!" Bybee nodded, smiling at her. "She tried to make me admit you was Sally Ford and I acted innocent as a new-born lamb. Told her you'd been with us since we left New York."
"Why is she so interested in Sally, Mr. Bybee?" David asked quietly.
"She 'lowed a carnival wasn't no place for a pure young girl," Bybee chuckled. "She said they was anxious over at the orphanage to get Sally back, away from her life of sin, and that pers'n'ly she took a powerful interest in unfortunate girls and was determined to see Sally safe back in the Home if 'Princess Lalla' _was_ Sally Ford. I lied like a gentleman for you, child. Told her she was a nice little dame and all that, but clear off her base in this instance. Reckon I put it across all right, for she shut up and beat it pretty soon."