pted that ten dollar gold piece
and two five dollar bills, as a payment upon it."

"Who from?" demanded Massey, sticking to his text, and that only.

"Young Joe Bodley, of the Lake View Inn."

"Joe Bodley! Why, he was abed when them coins was stolen--I know
that," blurted out the druggist, very much disappointed. "Lem Parraday
'tends bar himself forenoons, for Joe's allus up till past midnight.
You know that, Walky."

"Ya-as--f'r sure," agreed the expressman. "But one o' these here
magazine deteckatiffs might be able ter hook up Joe with them missin'
coins, jes' the same. Mebbe he's a sernamb'list," suggested, Walky,
with a sly grin.

"A _what_?" demanded Massey, with a startled look. "He's an Odd
Feller, an' a Son o' Jethro. I don't know what other lodges he b'longs
to."

"Jefers-pelters!" ejaculated Walky, "who's talkin' about lodges? I
mean mebbe Joe walks in his sleep. He might ha' stole them coins when
he was sernamb'latin' about----"

The druggist snorted. "That's some o' your funny business, I s'pose,
Walky Dexter. If you stood ter lose four hundred dollars you wouldn't
chuckle none about it, I'm bound."

"Mebbe that's so," admitted Walky. "But I dunno's I'd go around
suspectin' everybody there was of stealin' that money. Caesar's
wife--er was it his darter?--wouldn't 'scape suspicion in your mind,
Mr. Massey."

"By hickory!" exclaimed the exasperated druggist, "I'd suspect my own
grandmother!"

"Sure ye would--ef ye thought by so doin' ye'd escape payin' out four
hundred dollars! Hay! haw! haw!" laughed the expressman. "Ye ac'
right fullish, Massey. All sorts of money is passed over that bar. I
seen a feller count out forty pennies there t'other day for a flask of
whiskey: an' I bet he'd either robbed his baby's bank, or the
missionary-fund box. Haw! haw! haw!"

"You can laugh," began the druggist, looking sour enough, when Walky
broke in again:

"Sure I can. It's lucky I can, too. If I couldn't laff at most of the
folks that live in this town, I'd be tempted ter commit
sooicide--that's right! And you air one of the most amusin' of the
lot, Massey. Them other committeemen run ye a clost second."

"Oh! I can't stop here and fool with you all day, Walky Dexter,"
snapped the druggist, pretty well worked up by now. "I tell ye this
gold piece is a clue----"

"Mebbe," said Walky. "Mebbe 'tis a clue. But I reckon it's what them
magazine deteckatifs call a blind clue. Haw! h