Part 39 (2/2)

”Oh, Mr. Ma.s.sey!”

”Well, I'm merely puttin' the case,” said the druggist. ”That would be sensible. He's got fifteen hundred dollars or more--if he took the coin collection. An' it ain't doin' him a 'tarnal bit of good, as I can see. I told Cross Moore last night that I believe we'd been barkin' up the wrong tree all this time.”

”What did he say?” cried Janice eagerly.

”Well--he didn't _say_. Ye know how Cross is--as tight-mouthed as a clam with the lockjaw. But it is certain sure that we committeemen have our own troubles. Mr. Haley was a master good teacher. Ye got to hand it to him on _that_. And this feller the Board sent us ain't got no more idea of handling the school than I have of dancing the Spanish fandango.

”However, that ain't the p'int. What I was speakin' of is this: Nelse Haley is either a blamed fool, or else he never stole that money,” and the druggist said it with desperation in his tone. ”I hear he's took a job at sixteen a month and board with Elder Concannon--and farmin' for the elder ain't a job that no boy with money _and_ right good sense would ever tackle.”

”Oh, Mr. Ma.s.sey! Has he?” for this was news indeed to Janice.

”Yep. That's what he's done. It looks like his runners was sc.r.a.pin'

on bare ground when he'd do that. Course, I need a feller right in this store--behind that sody-fountain. And a smart, nice appearin' one like Nelse Haley would be just the ticket--'nough sight better than Jack Besmith was. But I couldn't hire the schoolteacher, 'cause it would create so much talk. But goin' to work on a farm--and for a slave-driver like the elder--Well!”

Janice understood very well why Nelson had said nothing to her about this. He was very proud indeed and did not want the girl to suspect how poor he had really become. Nelson had said he would stay in Polktown until the mystery of the stolen coin collection was cleared up--or, at least, until it was proved that he had nothing to do with it.

”And the poor fellow has just about come to the end of his rope,”

thought Janice commiseratingly. ”Oh, dear, me! Even if I had plenty of money, he wouldn't let me help him. Nelson wouldn't take money from a girl--not even borrow it!”

However, Janice stuck to her text with Ma.s.sey and obtained the list of the lost collection to look at. ”Dunno what you want it for,” said the druggist. ”You going sleuthing for the thief, Miss Janice?”

”Maybe,” she returned, with a serious smile.

”I reckon that ten dollar gold piece that Joe Bodley took in at the hotel was a false alarm.”

”If Joe Bodley had told you how he came by it, it would have helped some, would it not, Mr. Ma.s.sey?”

”Sure--it might. But he couldn't remember who gave it to him,” said the man, wagging his head forlornly.

”I wonder?” said Janice, using one of her uncle's favorite expressions, and so made her way out of the store and into her car again. When she had time that forenoon at the seminary she spread out the sheet on which the description of the coins was printed, and looked for the note relating to the five dollar gold piece in her possession.

It was there. It was not a particularly old or a very rare coin, however. There might be others of the same date and issue in circulation. So, after all, the fact that Narnay had it proved nothing--unless she could discover how he came by it--who had given it to him.

In the afternoon Janice drove home by the Upper Road and ran her car into Elder Concannon's yard. It was the busy season for the elder, for he conducted two big farms and had a number of men working for him besides his regular farm hands.

He was ever ready to talk with Janice Day, however, and he came out of the paddock now, in his old dust coat and broad-brimmed hat, smiling cordially at her.

”Come in and have a pot of tea with me,” he said. ”Ye know I'm partial to 'old maid's tipple' and Mrs. Grayson will have it ready about now, I s'pose. Stop! I'll tell her to bring it out on the side porch. It's shady there. You look like a cup would comfort you, Janice. What's the matter?”

”I've lots of troubles, Elder Concannon,” she said, with a sigh. ”But you have your share, too, so I'll keep most of mine to myself,” and she hopped out from behind the wheel of the automobile.

They went to the porch and the elder halloaed in at the screen door.

His housekeeper soon bustled out with the tray. She remained to take one cup of tea herself. Then, when she had gone about her duties, Janice opened the subject upon which she had come to confer.

”How are those men getting on in your wood lot, Elder?”

<script>