Billie might have walked, but, such was her impatience, she hailed the nearest street car. No time was to be lost! She opened her purse to make sure the five dollar bill with the dark irregular blot across its face was still there.
“The clue!” she murmured, a strange gleam in her eye. “If it only turns out to be the right one!”
Billie left the street car on the edge of town and walked down a country lane. At the end of it was a queer contraption on wheels, a covered motor truck with windows cut in it and a door at the back. This was, undoubtedly, Dan Larkin’s traveling store.
Billie hurried forward. Before the rude, ladder-like steps of the “store” she hesitated, but voices from within reassured her.
Dan Larkin was dealing with a customer. He was wrapping up a large parcel when Billie Bradley entered.
The customer lingered, exchanging reminiscences with the grizzled old fellow behind the counter. She went at last, however, and Billie fumbled in her purse for the stained five dollar bill.
She thrust this across the counter toward Dan Larkin.
“Please!” she cried eagerly, “can you tell me where you got that bill?”
Dan Larkin was a character. He stood behind the little counter of his traveling store, sleeves rolled up to display sinewy forearms, small, good-humored eyes twinkling out from masses of puffy flesh, and a derby hat set rakishly on the back of his grizzled head.
He looked from the bill in Billie’s hand to Billie’s face and shook his head waggishly.
“You oughtn’t to startle an old feller like that,” he said. “I ain’t sure where I got that bill, young lady--let’s see, it’s a five dollar one, ain’t it? But one thing’s certain--I come by it honest!”
“I don’t doubt it,” replied Billie, smiling engagingly. “Anyone would know you were honest, just to look at you.”
“Would they now!” exclaimed the old man delightedly. “That’s the best news I’ve heard in a powerful long time. I _am_ honest you know--as the day!”
“I’m sure of it,” Billie repeated. “Mr. Larkin,” pushing the bill toward him again, “won’t you please look at this again closely and tell me if you don’t notice anything strange about it?”
“Hm!” said the old man, giving her an extraordinarily shrewd glance from his little, good-humored eyes. “Important, is it?”