rm. His announcement that this was the man he
sought was sufficiently dramatic.

Then came Carrie's startled cry. Betty and Mollie turned around to look
at her.

"Are you sure he is the man who called himself your guardian?" asked
Mollie. "Don't make any mistake."

"I am not making a mistake," murmured Carrie, still holding herself
behind Amy and Grace. "He is that horrid man! Oh, don't let him see me!"

"What, have you a case ag'in him, too?" asked Mr. Bailey.

"She thinks so," explained Mr. Blackford. "We've got to act quickly
here. Go up a little closer, Mollie."

A lane was opened for the auto, amid the crowd. The faker stopped in the
midst of the "patter" concerning his wonderful powder, which "would make
the teeth like unto the milky pearls of the Orient."

The man on the platform turned pale, and then a sort of sickly green
color spread over his face. He had caught sight of the farmer standing
in the auto. Perhaps he also had had a glimpse of Carrie Norton. At any
rate he said:

"And now, my dear people, I must leave you. This is the last chance you
will have to purchase Tuckerman's Tooth Tester at this price. I thank
you one and all for your attention, and for your patronage. I must leave
at once. I have been summoned by telegraph to attend a conference of the
International Dental Society, who wish to purchase the secret of my
wonderful invention. I will bid you good-day," and he started to descend
from his platform.

"No, you don't!" cried Mr. Bailey. "No, you don't get away like that!
The dental society kin wait until you pay me back the money you swindled
out of me on that soap deal! Hold him, somebody, until I kin swear out a
warrant. I've caught you, old fellow!"

The faker kept his nerve. He came down from the platform carrying his
valise. The crowd was around him.

"Good people, let me pass!" he cried, authoritatively.

Mr. Blackford sensed the danger. The man might get away after all.

"Here!" he called to a constable in the crowd. "That man is a swindler!
He should be arrested."

"I haven't any warrant," answered the officer, weakly.

"You will have one in five minutes!" said Mr. Blackford. "I tell you to
hold that man. Mr. Bailey, get to the nearest justice of the peace as
soon as you can. Swear out a warrant and have it brought here. Officer,
arrest that man!"

There was something more than disinterested authority in Mr. Blackford's
tone. The constable worked his way through the cr