age. And that did make it look bad!"

"What did mother do when they--?" Jack did not look up while he
stammered the question that had been three months feeding his
imagination with horrors.

"Why, she didn't do anything. She went right away, that very morning,
to a sanitarium and would not see anybody but her own private nurse
and her own private doctor. They gave out bulletins about how she
slept and what she had for breakfast, and all that. But, believe me,
brother, they didn't get any dope from her! She just simply would not
be interviewed!"

Jack let out a long breath and sat up. At the corners of his mouth
there lurked the temptation to smile. "That's mother--true to form,"
he muttered admiringly.

"Of course, they scouted around and got most of the boys that were
with you, but they couldn't get right down to brass tacks and prove
anything except that they were with you at the beach. They're still
holding them on bail or something, I believe. You know how those
things kind of drop out of the news. There was a big police scandal
came along and crowded all you little bandits off the front page. But
I know the trial hasn't taken place yet, because Fred would have to be
a witness, so he'd know, of course. And, besides, the man hasn't died
or got well or anything, yet, and they're waiting to see what he's
going to do."

"Who's Fred?" Jack stood up and leaned toward her, feeling all at once
that he must know, and know at once, who Fred might be.

"Why, he's Kate's brother. He's down here at Toll-Gate cabin, working
out the assessments--"

Jack sat down again and caressed his bruised knuckles absently.
"Well, then, I guess this is the finish," he said dully, after a
minute.

"Why? He'll never climb up here--and if he did he wouldn't know you.
He couldn't recognize your face by the number of your car, you know!"
Then she added, with beautiful directness, "It wouldn't be so bad, if
you hadn't been the ringleader and put the other boys up to robbing
cars. But I suppose--"

Jack got up again, but this time he towered belligerently above her.
"Who says I was the ringleader? If it was Fred I'll go down there and
push his face into the back of his neck for him! Who--"

"Oh, just those nice friends of yours. They wouldn't own up to
anything except being with you, but told everybody that it was you
that did it. But honestly I didn't believe that. Hardly any of us
girls at the Martha did. But Fred--"

Just then the