Still turning the leaves of the book, Little Snap stood there and saw her secrete four letters in that same roomy receptacle. Then she calmly closed the pouch, and fastened the strap as she had done hundreds of times before. Little Snap felt a peculiar feeling of wonder and pity steal over him as he realized what his discovery meant. But as she started to hand him the pouch, he exclaimed, sharply: "Hold, Budd Grass! You move at the peril of your life!" Her countenance suddenly lost its color, as she asked, in a husky voice: "What do you mean, Dix Lewis?" "Just what I say, Miss Grass. You are not to move until I tell you that you may!" CHAPTER XXXVI. OLD SOLITAIRE'S SECRET. The postmistress turned still paler as Little Snap resolutely faced her, and the mail bag fell from her hand. "You are trying to frighten me, Dix," she said, but the sound of footsteps at the door caused her to leave the sentence unfinished, while a wild, desperate look came into her eyes. The newcomer was Austin Goings. "Whew! what is the trouble, Dix Lewis?" he asked. "I wish you would call in Mr. Renders as soon as possible." "What! have you caught the thief, my boy?" asked Mr. Goings, as his countenance lightened. "In that case, I am more capable of helping you than Mr. Renders. I am post office inspector, and I am here with full authority to arrest whomever I find has been tampering with Uncle Sam's property. What is your charge against this woman, Dix Lewis?" "She has four letters in her sleeve, and I have reason to——" "It's a mistake!" she broke in, excitedly. "If there are any letters in my sleeve they got there by accident. They are large—oh, my Lord, there are!" The last exclamation was called forth by the sudden appearance of the concealed mail as she held her arm so the sleeve was turned downward. Austin Goings was already entering the private office, when she turned to him with an agonizing look, saying: "Don't arrest me, sir! It was an accident." "If it was, you shall have ample time to prove it. But for the present, Miss Grass, you must consider yourself my prisoner." By that time a crowd had begun to collect about the office, among the rest Mr. Renders, to whom the inspector said: "I shall have to put the office in your charge for a short time, Mr. Renders." As may be imagined, the arrest was causing great wonder. "Have you made any farther discovery, Dix?" asked Mr. Goings of the postboy. "No, sir." "This was a good day's work, my boy. I hope you will excuse all uneasiness I may have caused you, but to carry out my purpose it was best no one should know my identity. Mr. Calvert assured me you were all right, but I wished to prove it to my own satisfaction. If you will wait long enough for me to put this prisoner under proper care, I will ride up with you." Hardly able to comprehend the strange turn of affairs, Little Snap gladly waited until the inspector could join him.