Sandstrom was taken off to jail, but his wife was allowed to return to her home.
Avice felt sorry for the poor woman, and stepping to her side offered some words of sympathy.
“My man didn’t do it, Miss,” and the light blue eyes looked hopelessly sad. “He ba’n’t that kind. He wouldn’t harm anybody. He——”
But foreseeing an imminent scene, Judge Hoyt took Avice gently by the arm and drew her away.
“Don’t talk to her,” he whispered, “you can do the poor thing no good, and she may become intractable. Let her alone.”
Avice let herself be persuaded, and she followed the judge to the library. On the way, however, she was stopped by Stryker, who said the boy wanted to speak to her.
“What boy?” asked Avice.
“That office boy, Miss Avice. He says just a minute, please.”
“Certainly,” she returned, kindly, and went back a few steps to find Fibsy, bashfully twisting his cap in his hands as he waited for her.
“’Scuse me, Miss, but—are you boss now?”