LITMIR.BIZ

      CHAPTER XXXVIII.

       "QUEER" MONEY.

       Table of Contents

      "This is counterfeit!"

      It was in the First National Bank of Carson, between nine and ten o'clock of the day following Frank's arrival in the city.

      Frank had found it difficult to get either of the new fifty-dollar bills changed, and so he stepped into the bank and asked if he could be favored there.

      The bill had been scrutinized closely, the cashier had examined it beneath a magnifying glass, after which he questioned the boy concerning his manner of obtaining the paper, and Frank had told the truth fully and without hesitation. Then the boy had been called into a private room, and the cashier had declared the bill counterfeit.

      Frank had been prepared for such an assertion by what went before it, and he immediately opened his pocketbook and produced the other bill which he had received of Isa Isban.

      "Please look at this, and see if it is also counterfeit," he asked, with remarkable coolness.

      In a moment the cashier said:

      "It is a mate for the first one. Both are 'queer.' My boy, this is bad stuff to be carrying around. It is liable to bring you into no end of trouble."

      As he said this he was regarding Frank's face with a searching stare, as if seeking to discover if the lad were honest or crooked.

      Frank knew he was under suspicion, and he bore himself as quietly as possible.

      "This is the first intimation I have received that the bills are bad," declared the lad. "I received them as I have explained, and I have tried in several places, this morning, to get one of them broken, but did not succeed. I finally came here."

      The cashier's brows lowered. He partially closed his eyes, and regarded the boy steadily. Then he began once more to ask questions.

      Frank knew he was in an unfortunate situation, and he decided the best thing he could do was to answer every question truthfully, which he did.

      It happened there was not much business going on in the bank. The paying teller and the receiving teller listened to the questions and answers. The receiving teller was a young man, and his face wore a sneering look of incredulity. He regarded Frank with open doubt, and, once or twice, muttered, "Ridiculous!" "Nonsense!" "A clever lie!" or something of the sort.

      The face of the paying teller was calm and unexpressive. It seemed that he had not determined in his own mind if the boy were telling the truth. He was listening to hear everything before he decided.

      Frank explained how he came to be in Carson City, having given his name, age, his guardian's name, told where his home was, and answered more than a score of other questions.

      The sneers of the receiving teller angered the boy; but he held his feelings in check, and did not seem to hear the man when he proposed that Merriwell be handed over to the special policeman in front of the bank.

      "Mr. Merriwell," said the cashier, "I shall have to take possession of these bills."

      "Why is that?"

      "It is my duty. I have such instructions. You are getting off easy at that."

      "But I shall not recover my hundred dollars."

      "No; that is lost. Let me tell you something: There is a band of queer-makers somewhere in this vicinity. They do not attempt to run their stuff into circulation around here; the most of it is put out in Chicago. But they have been traced to this part of the country. Detectives are at work on the case—Secret Service men, in the employ of the government. Who these detectives are no one can say, although it has been reported that Dan Drake is in it. Up to this time they have been putting out tens and twenties. This fifty must be a new bit of work. And I have something more to tell you. It is said that the queen of this gang of counterfeiters is a beautiful young girl, who does not look to be more than seventeen years of age. It is possible——"

      But he made a gesture of anger, because such a thing should be thought for a moment.

      "It is not possible!" he said, sharply. "She is innocent of such a thing as that! You cannot make me believe——"

      He stopped, noting that the look of scorn on the face of the receiving teller was deepening. Then, slowly and surely, the thought that the girl had deceived him, that she was not as innocent as she looked, came upon him. The mystery that surrounded her deepened, and a sudden longing to know the truth grasped him.

      The receiving teller laughed shortly, as he saw the changes which flitted across the lad's face.

      "There's guilt for you!" he muttered.

      Frank stiffened up, giving the man a cutting look.

      "What became of this girl for whom you changed two fifty-dollar bills?" asked the cashier.

      "I do not remember what became of her," declared Frank. "She was a passenger on the Pacific Express. I left the express at Reno."

      "And she went on? Bound for 'Frisco, it is likely."

      Frank had not said she went on. He explained that he met a friend at Reno, and that was how he happened to leave the express; that friend was coming to Carson, and that was how he happened to come to Carson.

      He did not tell that they had followed the girl to Carson, had shadowed her to the house where she had stopped, and that his companion or himself had watched that

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