n Kit asked him
to see pewter, brass, crystal, one right after the other, the boy raced
around furiously to please her.

"I want to go down stairs," said Kit with a smile.

"Mr. Gruff doesn't want people down stairs," began the boy, but before
he had finished his sentence, Kit was already on the lowest step.

But the store room was so packed with things that it was impossible to
move about. Two dim lights gave only enough glow to cast heavy shadows
about the vault-like cellar. There was something sinister about the
gloom.

"Let's get out of here while the getting's good!" whispered Joy. "I
feel as if someone might jump up any minute from behind these old
bureaus. I believe the place is haunted."

"No, don't go yet," pleaded Kit. "I haven't seen half enough. Who
cares for ghosts, anyway? Say Jacques, what does Mr. Gruff keep in
that old cabinet there?"

"Just some old china and fans and things."

"Let's see the fans," Kit demanded.

"Funny how everybody wants to see fans lately," said Jacques. "A big
tall man, then a young man, then you girls."

Kit started violently. "Who was the tall man?" she asked abruptly.

"I dunno!" replied Jacques. "Phil Gordon came and asked Peter
questions, and the old man got mad and said, 'Git out!'"

While he was talking Jacques had brought out the fans at Kit's request,
but they were cheap and not any particular value.

"I wonder what Phil found out," mused Bet.

But whatever Phil's object was in going to the antique shop, it
strengthened the suspicion against him. The detective, who had been
watching him for days, was now assured that the boy was trying to
dispose of the fan and on questioning Peter Gruff, he believed that his
suspicions were correct.

Phil had asked the old man if he ever bought fans. Mr. Longworth
reported this to Bet Baxter and the next day when she met Phil on the
street, he hurried by as if anxious to avoid a talk with her.

Bet was wild with anxiety. Phil had looked at her in such a guilty
way. She hurried home and, once inside the house, she burst into
tears. "What's the matter with Phil Gordon, anyway? He couldn't have
taken that fan. Then why does he act like a thief?"

That afternoon Bet was moping about the house when her three chums
arrived. Vacation would soon be over and they were making the most of
those two short weeks. But Bet was not in a mood for merry-making.
Another letter had come from her father regarding the fa