nhaven
Orphan's Home, but she could tell that he considered her request for
information rather ridiculous.

"We handle hundreds of letters a day here," he explained. "It would be
impossible for me to remember any particular one."

Penny and Susan went back to the car, convinced that they could do no
more.

"We may as well go home," Penny declared gloomily. "Our day has been
wasted."

"Oh, I'd not say that," replied Susan cheerfully. "We've had an
interesting time, and we learned quite a few facts from Mrs. Havers."

"We don't know a bit more about Michael Haymond than we did before. He
may be the same person as Michael Gladwin but we'll never be able to
prove it."

"Not unless he breaks down and admits it, I fear."

"I'd not want Michael to think I was prying into his past life," Penny
said hastily. "After all, it's really none of my affair where he spent
his early years. I'll just forget about it."

The girls might have been unable to dismiss the affair completely from
their minds had it not been that the following day another development
crowded all else into the background.

Susan had started to knit a sweater. Finding that she was in need of
more wool, she asked Penny to walk down to the village dry goods store
with her.

While Susan was trying to match her sample, Penny roved about the
store, gazing at the various objects. She had never seen such a
strange mixture in any one establishment before. There was a grocery
section, a candy department, one devoted to books and stationery, a
shoe section, and sundry articles too numerous to mention.

Suddenly Penny's attention was drawn to a bolt of cloth lying on the
counter. It was white material of a curious weave. The girl crossed
over to examine it.

"Are you thinking of buying yourself a dress, Penny?" asked Susan. She
had come up behind her chum.

"Oh! You startled me!" exclaimed Penny with a little laugh. "Susan, I
wish you'd look at this cloth!"

"I don't like it at all if you want my honest opinion," replied Susan.
"The material is too coarse."

"I don't intend to buy it for a dress," Penny explained quickly,
lowering her voice. "Do you remember that broken toy lantern which I
showed you?"

"Of course I do. You mean the one which your father believes to be a
clue in the Kirmenbach case?"

"Yes."

"I still don't understand what you are driving at," Susan said a trifle
impatiently. "What connection does it have with this bo