"We might try the postoffice," Penny said after a moment's thought.
They located the government building in the downtown section of Fairfax only to meet disappointment once more. The postmaster listened politely enough while Penny told him that she was seeking a certain Mr. Keenan who for many years had regularly mailed letters to the Glenhaven Orphan's Home, but she could tell that he considered her request for information rather ridiculous.
"We handle hundreds of letters a day here," he explained. "It would be impossible for me to remember any particular one."
Penny and Susan went back to the car, convinced that they could do no more.
"We may as well go home," Penny declared gloomily. "Our day has been wasted."
"Oh, I'd not say that," replied Susan cheerfully. "We've had an interesting time, and we learned quite a few facts from Mrs. Havers."
"We don't know a bit more about Michael Haymond than we did before. He may be the same person as Michael Gladwin but we'll never be able to prove it."
"Not unless he breaks down and admits it, I fear."
"I'd not want Michael to think I was prying into his past life," Penny said hastily. "After all, it's really none of my affair where he spent his early years. I'll just forget about it."
The girls might have been unable to dismiss the affair completely from their minds had it not been that the following day another development crowded all else into the background.