“What’s the matter?  Isn’t that good?” He betrayed some feeling, for the finger of suspicion seemed pointing at his family from every person he met.

“Why—­I hope it’s good,” was the smiling answer.  “If it isn’t I have lost faith in the government printing office.”

“My grandmother gave it to me for my birthday,” explained Cora.  “I haven’t had time to spend it since getting my auto.  No one ever questioned a bill of hers before.”

“Neither have I questioned it,” declared the teller.  “I was merely making a note of the number.  We have instructions to take a memorandum of all bills of large denomination.  I was merely doing that.”

“Since when was that rule in effect?” asked Jack.

“Since the Foster robbery.”

Jack started.  Then he remembered that in Ed’s wallet were bills of large denomination.

“Suspicion even here,” he muttered to Cora as they went out.

“Hush, Jack, dear,” she said softly.  “Some folks will hear you.”

“Well, I don’t care if they do.  It’s fierce—­the way people believe that you—­and I—­had a hand in that robbery.”

“Never mind,” replied his sister.  “Oh,” she added quickly, “there are the Robinson girls outside,” and she hurried down the bank steps.  The two sisters were walking slowly along, and from a certain air about Bess it was evident that she had something important to tell Cora.

“Any news of the—­robbery?” Bess asked Jack.

“Not that I know of,” he answered rather gloomily.  “The trouble is that so many of those who might be able to throw additional light on it are away.  Sid has gone—­no one seems to know where—­Ida is away visiting, and we haven’t been able to find that old farmer that got his team in the way of the race.  Ed remembers passing him on the road, and he spoke to him, but even that wouldn’t account for how the wallet got in Cora’s car.”

“No,” said Elizabeth with a sigh.  “But where are you going, Cora?”

“Around to Madam Julia’s.  I went in the bank to get grandmother’s hundred-dollar bill broken, so I could pay for my things at madam’s.  I suppose they are done by this time.  Won’t you girls come with me?”

“Yes,” added Jack, “and speaking of hundred dollar bills, what do you suppose that bank teller did?  He—­”

“Jack, dear,” spoke Cora softly, and her brother subsided.

“Do come,” she urged the twins:  “It will be such fun to see me try on my motor togs.”

“Wait until we tell you something!” burst out Belle.  “We have—­”

“A surprise for you,” interrupted Bess.

“A brand-new—­” started in Belle.

“Motor car,” finished Bess triumphantly.

“That is, we’re going to get it,” added her sister.

“Father has promised it to us;” supplemented Bess.

“Oh, isn’t that splendid!” exclaimed Cora.  “I’m so glad!  This is a surprise.  Now we’ll all be motor girls.”