“The tea and flour came to a dollar and a quarter,” said the shrewd trader, “and that leaves a dollar and a quarter to come to you.”
He tendered Robert a one-dollar bill and twenty-five cents.
After Robert went home Mr. Sands searched his brain in trying to guess where he could have obtained his gold, but the more he thought the darker and more mysterious it seemed. While in this state of perplexity John Trafton entered the store.
He had seen Robert going out with two large parcels, and he came in to learn what he could about them.
“How d’ye do, Sands?” he said. “Has Bob been in here?”
“Yes.”
“Did he buy anything?”
“Two pounds of tea and half a dozen pounds of flour. Seems to have considerable money.”
“Does he?” inquired Trafton eagerly.
“I thought you knew. Why, he paid me in gold!”