"Jennie is smart," Gussie said, in conclusion, "she is smart like machine. She can make in her head figgers. She finished school, she wanted she should go by business college for typewriter and work in office, but ma and my brothers they won't let. They yell and they yell and so Jennie works by factory."
It was all simple enough to Lottie. She had sat in many sessions of Judge Barton's court. "You'd rather not go with me, Gussie?"
Gussie shook a vehement head. "Better you should go alone. Right away I cry and yell for scared, Jennie she begin cry and yell, ma she begin cry and——"
"All right, Gussie.... Whose hundred dollars was it?"
"Otto. He is big brother. He is mad like everything. He say he make Jennie go by jail——"
"Oh, no, Gussie. He can't do that without Judge Barton, and she'll never——"
Gussie vanished into her bedroom. She emerged again with a stout roll of grimy bills in her hand. These she proffered Lottie. "Here is more as fifty dollar. I save'm. You should give to judge he shouldn't send Jennie to jail." Gussie was of the class that never quite achieves one hundred dollars. Seventy—eighty—eighty-five—and then the dentist or doctor.
Lottie gave the girl's shoulder a little squeeze. "Oh, Gussie, you funny dear child. The judge is a woman. And besides it isn't right to bribe the——"
"No-o-o-o! A woman! In my life I ain't heard how a woman is judge."
"Well, this one is. And Jennie won't go by jail. I promise you."