“Yes.”
“When?”
“About two weeks ago. Wait, I can tell you exactly by looking at my memoranda book.” She hurried to get it, and, on her return, stated that it was just ten days previous that the valise had been sold.
“Now, if you can only tell me to whom it went, maybe I can get on the trail of the thief,” spoke Larry eagerly. “Any record of it, Miss Mason?”
The young lady looked carefully over her book, and then shook her head.
“I’m sorry,” she answered, “but that’s all I can tell you. Wait a moment, though. There were two of these bags sold that day. I always keep an account of my stock, so I can tell. Two bags were sold. I disposed of one, and Miss Jones, that’s the head clerk, of the other.”
“But can’t you recollect to whom you sold the bag?” asked Larry desperately.
“Wait,” begged Miss Mason. She was trying hard to think. “I’m so busy that it’s hard to remember all the customers,” she said. “But—yes, I have it! I sold that bag to a man! I recollect now. He said he wanted a strong and heavy one, and, after looking at several, he took this one. He wanted a reduction because the leather was chafed, on one corner, and I took off fifty cents. That, and the fact of the cost mark being blurred, makes me remember it now.”
“And is there any way of telling to whom Miss Jones sold the other bag?” asked Larry.
“I’ll find out,” spoke Miss Mason. It did not take long for Miss Jones to show, by her sales slips, that the bag she had disposed of went to a well-known lady customer of the store.