or it. You won't have to show but one of the bills at a time, that is
sure."

"That's a good idea, Miss," said the woman hopefully. "And mebbe I can
make him start back for the woods again to-night. Oh, dear me! 'Tis
an awful thing! I don't want him 'round--an' yet when he's sober he's
the nicest man 'ith young'uns ye ever see. He jest dotes on this poor
little thing," and she looked down again into the weazened face of the
baby.

"It is too bad," murmured Janice; but she scarcely gave her entire mind
to what the woman was saying.

Here was a second gold piece turned up in Polktown. And, as Uncle
Jason had said, such coins were not often seen in the hamlet. Janice
had more than one reason for securing the gold piece, and she
determined to learn, if she could, if this one was from the collection
that had been stolen from the school-house weeks before.

CHAPTER XXV

IN DOUBT

The first of all feminine prerogatives is the right to change one's
mind. Janice Day changed hers a dozen times about that five dollar
gold piece.

It was at last decided, however, by the young girl that she would not
immediately take Nelson Haley into her confidence. Why excite hope in
his mind only, perhaps, to have it crushed again? Better learn all she
could about the gold coin that had rolled out of Jim Narnay's pocket,
before telling the young schoolmaster.

In her heart Janice did not believe Narnay was the person who had
stolen the coin collection from the schoolhouse. He might have taken
part in such a robbery, at night, and while under the influence of
liquor; but he never would have had the courage to do such a thing by
daylight and alone.

Narnay might be a companion of the real criminal; but more likely,
Janice believed, he was merely an accessory after the fact.

This, of course, if the gold piece should prove to be one of those
belonging to the collection which Mr. Haley was accused of stealing.
The coin found in Hopewell Drugg's possession, and which had come to
him through Joe Bodley, might easily have been put into circulation by
the same person as this coin Narnay had dropped. The ten dollar coin
had gone into the tavern till, and this five dollar coin would probably
have gone there, too, had chance not put it in Janice Day's way.

"First of all, I must discover if there was a coin like this one in
that collection," the girl told herself. And early on Monday morning,
on her way to the seminary, sh