believe you, but should I be mistaken in the matter I am willing to let it
drop at any rate because of your youth. You may go, young ladies." Then he
continued to the employes: "Be careful not to leave tempting goods under
the hands of a Christmas throng."

But the detective waited. She had missed a case--perhaps she would lose by
it, if not money, some fame as a detective.

"Miss Dearing," said the superintendent, addressing her, "be very careful
to cause no false arrests. It appears in this case you have missed the
actual culprit, and followed a line pointed out by the clerks."

"But several of the clerks--"

"Mere hearsay," interrupted the gentleman. "Now, miss," to Dorothy, "I am
sorry you have had your morning spoiled, and I hope you can make up the
lost time."

His manner said plainly that he, too, had lost valuable time, so, with a
hasty word of thanks, Dorothy and Tavia left the office.

"Well, you are the coolest kid," began Tavia with a loving little tug at
Dorothy's arm. "You go to pieces on small things, but seem to glory in a
good big scrape. I would simply have hauled off and landed one on that
high-up lady's pug nose."

Dorothy laughed at Tavia's attempt to cover up the experience with her
joke. She knew Tavia did not really want to use common slang, but
understood her way of teasing and jesting under pretense that Dorothy
would be shocked and give her a "good scolding." But this time Dorothy