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Farmer Dale jogged on his way. Andy faced towards Centreville. It seemed as if something was pulling him along in that direction. At the first cross-roads a field wagon containing a farmer, his wife and half-a-dozen children whirled into Andy Wildwood's view. A merry juvenile chorus told Andy that they were bound for the circus.
Wildwood's death. The plotters had gone at once to Miss Lavinia. Her cupidity was aroused. She quieted her conscience by giving Andy ten dollars at Tipton, and deciding to take charge of the royalty money "till he was of age."
He probably caught the words spoken by Andy: "My aunt," and presumably identified Miss Lavinia Talcott as the cause of the boy's disquietude. Further, Jim Tapp knew that Andy had run away from home and had been sought for by the police. As it turned out later in Andy Wildwood's career, Jim Tapp knew a great deal more than all this put together.
Every imagination was vividly recalling the rope tied from the schoolhouse chimney to a near tree. Every heart renewed the thrills that had greeted Andy Wildwood's daring walk across the quivering cable. Then the culminating climax: the giving way of the chimney, a shower of bricks but the young gymnast, safe and serene, dangling from the eaves.
Then it had passed into the legal possession of Mr. Wildwood's half-sister, Miss Lavinia Talcott. This aunt was Andy's nearest relative. He had lived with her since his father's death, if it could be called living. Miss Lavinia's favorite topic was the sure visitation of the sins of the father upon his children. She was of a sour, snappy disposition.
His sudden cessation caused both the other men to look at him. They followed his gaze, which passed across them to the main rigging, and saw what he saw, a brown hand and arm, muscular and wet, being joined from overside by a second brown hand and arm. A head followed, thatched with long elfin locks, and then a face, with roguish black eyes, lined with the marks of wildwood's laughter. "My God!"
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