d he been near it at the time the accident occurred.

What, then, could have become of the jewel case?

"It must be here," exclaimed Roy, positively; "nobody could have taken
it."

While Dr. Mays bent over Jess and examined her injured ankle the others
searched the field in every reasonable direction. But not a trace of the
jewel case could they find.

All at once, the noise of a horse's hoofs coming at a rapid trot was
heard from the road. Roy, thinking it might be some one of whom he might
make inquiries, hastened to the hedge and peered over. He saw, coming
toward him, a disreputable-looking old ramshackle rig, driven by a
red-haired man of big frame who was slouchily dressed. His chin had once
been shaven, but now the hair stood out on it like bristles on an old
tooth brush. By the side of this individual was seated none other than
the immaculate Fanning Harding, in his motor-cycling clothes.

"Why, that's Gid Gibbons, the most disreputable character about here,"
exclaimed Roy, in amazement. "What can Fan Harding be doing with him?"

He now noted, to his further astonishment and perplexity, that there was
a third person in the rig--Gid Gibbon's daughter, a pretty girl in a
coarse way, and given to loud dressing. She had plenty of black hair and
a pair of dark eyes that might have been beautiful if they had not had a
certain hard, defiant look in them.

As they drew near Fan Harding turned and seemed to whisper something to
the girl, whose name was Hester, at which they both laughed heartily.

CHAPTER VII.

PEGGY IS PUZZLED.

"Hello, Gid," hailed Roy, thinking that perhaps the ne'er-do-well, who
conducted a small blacksmith shop some distance off, might be able to
throw some light on the mystery.

"Hello, yourself," was the response in a harsh, gutteral voice as Gid
drew in his reins and the conveyance came to a stop. Roy raised his hat
to Hester Gibbons and nodded coldly to Fan Harding.

"Good gracious, what's been happening?" shrilled out the girl.

"An accident," said Roy, and went on rapidly to explain what had occurred.

"And the worst of it is," the boy went on, "that besides the accident
Miss Bancroft has suffered a serious loss. A wallet containing valuable
jewelry has vanished entirely." Roy watched Fan Harding closely as he
spoke and thought that he saw him change color. It might have likewise
been fancy, but he could have sworn that the girl, too, looked confused.
Gid puckered up hi