"Case-knives!" Alva exclaimed. "Oh, what do you mean?"
"There, Nellie, you see how they strike any one," said Mrs. Ray, with deep meaning.
"But have they case-knives with them?" Alva asked,—"not really?"
Then Mrs. O'Neil told her story.
"You'd better all lock your doors nights after this," said Mrs. Ray; "you don't want to take Sammy Adams' chances if you can help it."
"But what should they have the knives for?" Lassie asked.
"They have their reasons," said Mrs. Ray, darkly; "you know you told me the other day, Nellie, that the reason why they sat in the kitchen with their feet in the oven so much was because their shoes was all wore out; they've got their reasons for everything they do, depend on it. If they're honest, why don't they have their shoes patched when they're wore out? If they were respectable, why didn't that girl buy some black laces instead of wearing brown ones. I always keep black shoe-laces in my grocery business."
"Maybe she doesn't know that," suggested Lassie.
"Yes, she does know," said Mrs. Ray, "for I told her so one day when she played come for mail."
"I didn't know you kept shoe-laces," said Mrs. O'Neil. "I've always bought them in Buffalo."