m positive she stole
the ring, and got scared, or something. Then she must have tossed it in
Dorothy's bag."

"You should go on the force," said the man with a sneer. "You know how to
make a case out, all right."

"And you know how to impose on innocent girls," cried Tavia, while Dorothy
begged her to be quiet.

Just then another young lady entered the office. She proved to be head
clerk from the jewelry counter, and had been sent for by the
superintendent.

He questioned her sharply as to the actions of Dorothy and Tavia while
they were in her department. Did they appear hurried, or did they seem to
crowd others? These and like questions were put to the clerk. Dorothy felt
by this time that the whole thing was a farce. How could they help
crowding? And why would they not appear in a hurry, when there were not
half enough clerks to attend to the customers?

Miss Allen, the head clerk, looked at Dorothy keenly. She had that plain
face, honest face, fearless in its simplicity, ready to stand up for the
truth, whether to praise or denounce.

"This young lady," she said, still with her eyes fixed upon Dorothy,
"could not possibly have taken the ring. I waited on these girls myself,
and noticed they never left their stand at the counter. The tray with that
ring in it was at the extreme other end of the case."

Dorothy could have hugged her.

"Oh, thank you so much!" she stammered. "I was sure some one would know."

"And did you notice the little woman with the pale face--" Tavia began,
but the superintendent interrupted her.

"That will do, if you please," he ordered. "Miss Allen, we found the ring
in this young lady's bag."

For an instant the clerk looked surprised. Then she regained that
satisfied look, and seemed to wave her head defiantly.

"An open bag is a handy thing in a crowd," she said.

At this the woman detective flushed up and left her seat at the desk. She
approached the young clerk.

"Are you in league with these--shoplifters?" she sneered.

"Very likely," replied Miss Allen with provoking coolness. "I can just
about afford to lose my place for the sake of an opal ring."

The bitterness of her tone as she said this was as frank as were her eyes
when she first looked at Dorothy and declared her innocent.

The superintendent bowed his head as if to say: "You are right, Miss
Allen, you cannot afford to risk your reputation in this store, and I am
convinced you would do nothing of the sort."