The Scarlet Car
only by accident, and by forcing her to remain here alone you are acting outrageously. If you knew anything of decency, or law, you'd——" 

 "I know this much!" roared the justice triumphantly, pointing his spectacle-case at Miss Forbes.  "I know her name ain't Lizzie Borden and yours ain't Charley Ross." 

 Winthrop crossed to where Miss Forbes stood in a corner. She still wore her veil, but through it, though her face was pale, she smiled at him. 

 His own distress was undisguised. 

 "I can never  forgive myself," he said. 

 "Nonsense!" replied Miss Forbes briskly.  "You were perfectly right. If we had sent for any one, it would have had to come out. Now, we'll pay the fine in the morning and get home, and no one will know anything of it excepting the family and Mr. Peabody, and they'll understand. But if I ever lay hands on my brother Sam!"—she clasped her fingers together helplessly.  "To think of his leaving you to spend the night in a cell——" 

 Winthrop interrupted her. 

 "I will get one of these men to send his wife or sister over to stay with you," he said. 

 But Miss Forbes protested that she did not want a companion. The constable would protect her, she said, and she would sit up all night and read. She nodded at the periodicals on the club table. 

 "This is the only chance I may ever have," she said, "to read the 'Police Gazette'!" 

 "You ready there?" called the constable. 

 "Good-night," said Winthrop. 

 Under the eyes of the grinning yokels, they shook hands. 

 "Good-night," said the girl. 

 "Where's your young man?" demanded the chief of police. 

 "My what?" inquired Winthrop. 

 "The young fellow that was with you when we held you up that first time." 


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