deny it. As I said before, I haven't been in this
store for several months."

At this plain declaration made by Dave, Mr. Asa Dickley grew fairly
purple. He leaned over his counter and shook his clenched fist in
Dave's face.

"So that is the way you are going to try to swindle me out of my
money, is it, Dave Porter?" he cried. "Well, let me tell you, it won't
work. You came here and got those goods from me, and either you'll
pay for them or I'll sue your father for the amount. Why, it's
preposterous!" The storekeeper turned to his clerk, who was gazing
on the scene in open-mouthed wonder. "Here a customer comes in and
buys a lot of goods and I am good-hearted enough to trust him to the
amount, twenty-six dollars, and then he comes here and declares to
my face that he never had the things and he won't pay for them. Now
what do you think of that, Hibbins?"

"I think it's pretty raw," responded the clerk.

"Weren't you in the shop when I let Porter have some of those goods?"

"I certainly was," answered Hibbins. "Of course, I was in the rear,
sorting out those new goods that had come in, so I didn't see just
what you let him have; but I certainly know he got some things."

"Mr. Dickley, now listen to me for a minute," said Dave in a tone of
voice that arrested the man's attention in spite of his irascibility.
"Look at me closely. Didn't the fellow who got those things from you
look somewhat different from me?"

Dave faced the storekeeper with unflinching eyes, and Asa Dickley was
compelled to look the youth over carefully. As he did this the
positive expression on his face gradually changed to one of doubt.

"Why, I--er--Of course, he looked like you," he stammered. "Of course
you can change your looks a little; but that don't count with me.
Besides, didn't you give me your name as Dave Porter, and ask me if I
didn't remember you?"

"The fellow who got those goods may have done all that, Mr. Dickley.
But that fellow was not I. I may be mistaken, but I think it was a
young man who resembles me, and who some time ago made a great deal of
trouble for me."

"Humph! That's a fishy kind of story, Porter. If there is such a
person he must look very much like you."

"He does. In fact, some people declare they can hardly tell us
apart."

"What's the name of that fellow?"

"Ward Porton."

"Does he live around here?"

"I don't know where he is living just at present. But I saw him day
before yesterday in Clayton.