 You see, I saw the flag was up, and so I just thought I'd drop around and say hello to everybody. No. And you call that good? Ah, but this is different. This time... Say, so that's it. Someone was only kidding you. I don't mind saying they had me fooled. Yes, a joke is all right, but not when you make it so serious. I have not yet showed these to Carlos and Alfredo, but I think they're not thinking it's so funny. No, I should say not, especially kidding about putting acid on your wire, or that you must leave the circus or something will happen to you. I wish I know who do this, but I guess maybe something happened so they have another heart, yes? You mean a change of heart? Yes. You're probably right. I suspect there's something behind all this, though, and I have an idea about it, but as long as it's all right now, I guess I'd better keep my suspicions to myself. Always like a detective, yes. You know, Jerry, I think when you grow up, if you get tired of the circus, you can be a great detective, eh? I didn't wonder. Well, here's your note. Say, what did you do, spill water on it? How do you mean, water? Oh, see where the ink is blotted? No, it come like that. Really? See, that's funny. Looks like someone was crying or something. Oh, you see, you cannot help to think always of, how you say, clues. I know, but it's not like that. I know, but it doesn't look that way, doesn't it? All smudged in the street. Maybe, maybe it rains. Well, it hasn't rained for a week. Oh, you mean, Jerry, those are tears, I am sure. I wonder what Jason and Bumper are so happy about. Hey, what's the joke, Jason? Jerry, just wait till you hear this. Oh, hello, Carmen. It's really a riot, isn't it, Bumper? Yes, it is funny, but it's tragic, too. Oh, do you mean funny, sir? What kind of a joke is this? Hey, this is terribly funny. Oh, hurry up, what happened? Well, you all know the bearded lady. What, yes. Well, my dear friends, she is no more. What? What did you say? What's this all about? Jason, I'm ashamed you're talking like this. Ah, but what I say is the truth. My dear friend, the bearded lady is no longer the bearded lady. Jason, what on earth are you talking about? It's a long story, my friends, but to be brief and to the point, or shall I say to cut it short, it seems that the bearded lady has been robbed. She is no longer the bearded lady. And you laugh, then you pretend to be sad. Jason, I don't understand you this evening. All right, I'll put it this way. When is a bearded lady not a bearded lady? That's simple. Well, she hasn't got a beard. Good boy. That's it. What? Say, you don't mean that. Yes, jury, that's it. She's lost her beard. No. But how could she? She's not got her beard. Oh, the poor lady. It was really tragic. She was she mad. She practically raised the roof, threatened to get even with whoever did it. You mean to say she didn't cut it off herself? Or do you think a woman who earns her living because she has a fine beard would deliberately cut it off herself? No, that's what makes it seem so funny. Say, may I have some ketchup? But how? How do such a thing happen? Well, that's what nobody knows. She says she was asleep, and then suddenly she heard a noise, a click or something, and then her door slam shut, and she got up in her hurry and happened to catch sight of herself in the mirror. And she screamed. Well, I've been with circuses all my life, and I've never heard of such a thing happening before. Well, has she come into dinner yet? No, and she won't. She said she'd never face any of us again. Oh, what's she doing now, wonder? I don't know. But I got a hold of Randall, and he's talking to her. Say, I'll bet Mr. Randall will be plenty upset. Well, he certainly will be. She's not much good to him without a beard. She's not a very good company when everything's all right. I can imagine she'll be impossible to get along with now. But do you think Mr. Randall will keep her, Jason? Your guess is as good as mine. But who on earth could have cut off her beard? Looks like you've got a new mystery, Jerry. Good night. What's the matter, Jerry? Nothing. I just happened to think of something. Good. Here comes Mr. Randall now. We can all get the dope. Well, good evening, Sam. Hello, folks. No, no, I'm not going to sit down. I've got too much in my mind. Jerry, I'd like to talk to you. Yes, of course, Mr. Randall. I think we better go outside. Excuse us, folks. Well, of course. Sure. Don't tell me you're going to miss your dessert, Jerry. Looks like it. It's an extreme night, too. All right, Jerry. I'm pretty busy. Yes, Mr. Randall. I'm coming. I wouldn't do this if it weren't pretty serious, Jerry. Yes, sir. But I don't know what this is all about. You will, as soon as we're outside. Now we can talk. This is between us, and there's no need for the rest of the circus folks to know all about it. Jerry, do you know anything about what happened to the bearded lady? Why, yes, sir. Jason was just telling us. Yes, of course. I suppose everyone will know about it in another hour. But do you know the rest of the story? Why, no. What do you mean? Jerry, did you have anything to do with this? Well, Mr. Randall, what are you talking about? You're sure you didn't do this thing as a joke or a prank? Well, of course not. I'm certainly relieved to hear you say that, Jerry. And I want to believe you. But there's something about this thing that seems to involve you. Well, how do you mean? Well, needless to say, the bearded lady is pretty hysterical at the moment. However, while I was talking to her, I noticed a pair of scissors on the floor. Oh. You know about them? Whoa. What is this, Jerry? You do know something about this. No, honest I don't, Mr. Randall. Well, you might as well tell me right now. After all, I recognize those scissors as the type that Clara uses. And I've just come from talking to her. Oh, you mean she told you she lent me some today? Yeah. So, you see, I know all about that. But, Mr. Randall, I didn't... All right, Jerry, it's possible that it just happened as those scissors are similar. Well, you give me the pair you borrowed and you'll be clear of all suspicion. What? Well, I can't ride away. I'll get them for you, though. All right, Jerry. I'll be waiting for you in my office wagon. But remember, I've got the pair of scissors that I found. And you'd better have another pair or... Or what, Mr. Randall? Well, we'll worry about that when the time comes. But get over to my wagon as soon as you can, Jerry. Yes, sir. I will. No one will be happier than I to have you care to this thing. Well, I'll be over as soon as I can, Mr. Randall. Bye. So long, Jerry. I wonder... Jerry! Oh, hello there, Major. What are you doing hiding around the corner of the wagon? Collie, I'm sure glad you're here, though. Well, to be frank, Jerry, when I saw you leave the dining room with Mr. Randall, I was pretty worried. You? Jesus, you didn't do it. I cannot tell a lie, Jerry. Yes, I cut off her beard. But how could you? Do you get into a lot of trouble? Mr. Randall's awful man. Yes, yes, I know. But he must never know I did it. Nobody must. But they're bound to find out. But they mustn't. Well, I have the bearded lady thought that I did it. Why, she'd kill me. You know how excited she gets? She just doesn't know what she's doing. But, Major, the scissors... Imagine dropping them and it woke her up. If it hadn't been for that... But, Major, Mr. Randall has those scissors and he knows Clara gave me some like it this afternoon and he'll blame me. No, he won't, Jerry. But he will. He just told me to bring in the scissors or he'd hold me responsible. But you didn't do it. I know, but you'll think I did if I don't give him the scissors. Well, Jerry, I don't know what to say. I don't want to get you into trouble. Of course, you know I haven't the scissors. What'll I do? I don't know what you can do. I suppose you'll have to tell him everything. I can't have a boy blame for something he hasn't done. And yet if that woman finds out that I'm to blame, well, I might just as well be dead. Anywhere you're going. Over to the office wagon. But what are you going to say to Mr. Randall? I don't know yet. I'll walk over with you. That's me. I wish I'd never been born, Jerry, to get my good friends into trouble. Oh, don't worry, Major. I won't tell him you did it. Yeah, but he'll know. Well, how? Well, when you tell him you got the scissors for me. Well, I won't tell him. You won't? Well, no, of course not. Not if you're going to get into so much trouble. Well, Jerry, you know why I did this, don't you? No, not exactly. Well, Jerry, I'll tell you, it was the bearded lady that sent those notes to Carmen. So I had to protect the Spanish senorita. So I had the bearded lady write a note. Yeah, I saw it. And you did? Well, now Carmen won't worry anymore. And now I fixed the bearded lady, so she won't be around here anymore endangering people's lives. But she's no use to a circus without a beard. I meant to sacrifice her for the good of the circus. I didn't mean to get you into trouble. It's all right, Major. Well, here we are. I guess I better go in and get it over with. Well, good luck, Jerry. And be sure to let me know what happens. Yeah, I will. Goodbye. Goodbye. Mr. Handel. Yeah, come in, Jerry. Mr. Handel. Yes? I haven't got the scissors after all. Jerry. I'm awful sorry. Jerry, how could you do a thing like that? Well, I... Jerry, cutting off that beard was bad enough. It's much worse than a prank because it brings a lot of trouble to the innocent victim. Well, how do you mean? Well, of course I can't use the bearded idea like that. I'm afraid I'll have to let her go. Oh, no. That's bad enough. But have you lied to me? Well, honest, I didn't. Mr. Handel, I didn't... Well, have you lied to me is... is worse than to have had you do such a thoughtless and unkind thing. Truly, I didn't lie to you, Mr. Handel. You must believe me. Then someone else is involved in this? Oh, so that's it. Yeah, I thought as much. I'm sorry, Jerry. I don't like to ask you to tell on another. But in this case, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to tell me who did this thing. I can't, Mr. Handel. I'm sorry, Jerry, but this time I'm afraid you'll have to tell me. I insist on knowing who used those scissors. You... you won't tell me? You've been awful good to me, Mr. Handel, and I appreciate it, but... Well, this is just something I can't talk about. Well, Jerry, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you're going to have to take some pretty stiff medicine. Yes, sir. I'll have to tell Clara not to make up that costume for you. Why? Because I'm going to have to let someone else go into the ring with that elephant act. Oh, Mr. Handel, oh, no, please, please. I just can't tell you, but... but I just got to do that act with El Mundo. I've been practicing and thinking about it so much, and I... I'm sorry, Jerry. And I'm good. Honest I am. Carmen says so-and-so dissolves in it. Oh, gee, Mr. Handel, do something else to me, please, but let me work with El Mundo in the ring. It's too bad, Jerry. I feel as bad about this as you do. But I can't have performers who don't consider the show above everything else. I don't like tattling any more than you do. But this case is a little different. And, well, I... I guess we'll just have to forget about you working that elephant in the ring.