ertainly."

"Thank you. I'll keep this card. I have none of my own with me. My name
is Isa Isban."

Somehow, that name was a shock to Frank. He could not have told why, to
save his life, but there was something unpleasant about it. It did not
seem to fit the girl at all.

However, this feeling soon passed, and they were chatting freely in a
short time. Their conversation drifted from topic to topic, and Frank
was delighted to find his fair companion wondrously well informed on
subjects such as are given little attention by most young girls. She
could even talk politics rationally, and she rather worsted Frank on a
tariff discussion.

"You are beyond my comprehension," he declared, admiringly. "Where you
ever learned so much is more than I can understand."

"Do you fancy that young men are the only ones who know things? If you
do, you are sure to find there are others---- Oh, dear! there I go
again."

Having become so well acquainted, Frank asked if she were bound for San
Francisco, and, to his disappointment, she informed him that Carson City
was her destination.

The conductor came through the train for tickets. Frank had his ready,
and the girl began searching for hers, but had not found it when the
conductor came along.

"Oh, dear!" she exclaimed, and Frank was about to offer to aid her, if
she needed a loan, when she opened her purse and took out several bills,
every one of them new and crisp, and of large denominations.

"The smallest I have is fifty dollars," she said. "Papa gave me large
bills, as he said they would not be so bulky."

"I can't change a bill of that size," said the conductor.

"I can," put in Frank, immediately producing his pocketbook. "I will
break it for you."

So he took the new bank-note, and gave her two twenties, a five and five
ones for it, enabling her to pay her fare without difficulty.

The conductor gave the girl a rebate ticket and passed on.

"Thank you so much!" she said to Frank. "I believe I may have trouble in
getting those large bills broken. Would you mind giving me small bills
for another fifty?"

Frank did not mind, and he gave them.

Thereby hangs a tale.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

FRIENDS AND FOES.

The Pacific Express drew into Reno on time, and Frank Merriwell was
about to bid adieu to the beautiful girl whom he had first met the day
before.

"I shall not soon forget this pleasant journey," he said, sincerely.
"Your company has made it very agree