es to appear not to know him.

"Miss Prescott--I--that is--er--this is a very unpleasant business--I
hope----."

It was Mortlake stammering. He mopped the sweat from his forehead as the
sheriff interrupted him.

"That will do Mr. Mortlake. Leave the discharge of my official duties to
me, please."

"That's right, by heck," chorused the constable, approvingly.

"What's the matter, sheriff?" asked Roy, easily. As yet not a glint of the
truth of this visit had dawned upon him.

"Why, Roy, it's about that thar robbery at Galloways t'other night,"
sputtered the sheriff, looking rather embarrassed, "we've come to the
conclusion that you know more about it than you told, and----," he dived
into a pocket and drew out an official-looking paper, "an' I got a warrant
fer your arrest."

"My arrest!" stammered Roy, "why you must be mad. What on earth do I know
about it?"

"Nothin', only you happened to hev' a marked bill in your pocket t'other
day," shot out the sheriff, triumphantly. "Fanning Harding step forward.
What do you know about this?"

"Only this, that Miss Regina Mortlake after the automobile accident found
a wallet belonging to Roy Prescott in the roadway. She opened it and
discovered that it contained a marked twenty-dollar bill answering the
description of one of the bills stolen from the Galloway farm house. She
made me a witness of the find, and in line with my duty as a citizen, I
thought it best to expose the thief, and----."

Fanning stopped and turned pale as a boyish figure sprang toward him with
doubled fists. He shrank back, turning a sickly yellow.

"You contemptible sneak!" shouted Jimsy, whose fists it had been that
threatened Fanning.

"Sheriff, I claim protection," said the cowardly youth, shrinking behind
the official.

"Now, no fisticuffs here," warned the sheriff, "my only duty now is to
preserve order and arrest Roy Prescott on a charge of grand larceny."

Peggy turned white and sick. The veranda floor seemed to heave up and down
like sea waves under her feet. But in the next few seconds she regained
control of herself.

"Why such a charge is absurd," she declared vehemently, "this is simply
spite on the part of our rivals in the aeroplane business."

"Don't know nuthin' about that," reiterated the sheriff, stolidly, "the
warrant has bin sworn out an' it's my duty ter execute it. Constable,
arrest that boy. Ef his foot is too bad hurt to walk, git a rig an' drive
him in ter town."