It was Shirley who spoke. They stood among the crowd that thronged the largest department store in Savannah, Ga. The Yucatan had put into Savannah early that morning, and learning that the vessel would not get under way again until late in the afternoon, Shirley and Mabel had gone uptown to purchase a few souvenirs of the Georgia city.
It was just after entering the store that Shirley’s attention was attracted by the peculiar actions of a young woman who darted somewhat furtively from one counter to another. While the attention of the clerks was given to customers, Shirley had seen the woman slip a bolt of expensive silk from the counter and hide it under a long flowing cape, which she wore in spite of the heat.
Mabel shook her head negatively in response to Shirley’s question.
“Which one?” she asked.
Shirley pointed to the figure of the woman who was now gazing at a pretty array of expensive laces. Both girls watched her carefully; and directly, as the crowd about her became more dense, they saw her hand go stealthily forth and take several small bolts of the high-priced material.
“Well what do you think of that?” demanded Mabel. “I have heard of such things, but I never expected to see it. What shall we do?”
“Nothing,” replied Shirley decidedly. “It’s none of our business.”
“But won’t the poor clerks have to make good the loss?”
“I don’t know about that. But if we get mixed up in it we are likely to gain too much notoriety. Let’s move away from here.”
They pushed their way through the crowd when Shirley came suddenly into violent contact with a figure hurrying from the opposite direction. The latter drew back and lifted his cap.