She stopped short as her astonished gaze fell upon the shining badge which Owen suddenly displayed.
“I’m not here in a personal capacity, Mrs. O’Brien,” he said. “I’m here as a representative of the United States government, and I demand the privilege of inspecting Miss Worthington’s room.”
“Well, I never!” exclaimed the woman. “The United States government! Dear me, what can it all mean? Why, certainly, Mr. Sheridan. Under those circumstances, will you please step this way?”
Owen followed her upstairs, feeling almost ashamed of himself that he was offering this indignity to the girl he was going to make his wife. But it had occurred to him that perhaps in Dallas’ room he might find some clew to her present whereabouts, and he was determined to find her.
And the very first thing his gaze fell upon as he entered the room was a waste-paper basket, in which were the pieces of a torn pink envelope.
There were only four pieces, and it was an easy matter for Owen to put them together and to read the address.
He uttered a groan of anguish and despair as he did so. The pink envelope, the stamp of which had not been canceled, was addressed in a man’s handwriting to the[Pg 47] person in Pennsylvania to whom the Reverend Doctor Moore had mailed the hundred-dollar note.
It was no longer possible to doubt that Dallas was guilty of robbing the United States mails.
CHAPTER XIX.
AN UNEXPECTED MEETING.
Convinced now of the girl’s guilt, Owen Sheridan was walking dejectedly out of the room, when suddenly he remembered that he had not carried out his intention of searching for some clew as to Dallas’ whereabouts.