The girls were silent for a moment or two after reading this strange
message that had come to them in such a queer manner. Then Betty said:

"Girls, what do you make of it?"

"It's a joke!" declared Grace.

"It sounds far from being a joke," spoke Betty, seriously. "Girls, there
may be a grim tragedy here."

"How romantic!" sighed Mollie. "What shall we do with the money?"

"We must take it home and consult our folks about it," decided Betty.
"I'll ask papa--and you might refer the question to yours, Amy. Being a
broker, he's quite likely to know about such things, and can tell us
what to do. This is quite a lot of money to lose, I wonder how we can
find the owner?"

"Advertise?"

"Maybe there'll be a notice in the post office."

"It can't have been here very long. Perhaps we'll meet whoever it belongs
to, coming back to look for it," spoke Grace.

Thus came some opinions, and while various others were rapidly formed and
expressed, and as the girls are speculating on how the bill, and the
attached paper, came to lie so openly on the highway, I hope I may be
permitted to insert here a little descriptive matter that will, perhaps,