The other strove to speak; but his voice would not come, and the hands that clutched at the desk were shaking.
“I sent your medal to Carpenter,” explained the Judge. “An’ he sent the string.”
“Then he’ll grab me. It’s embezzlement. I can’t pay him back. I’ll go to jail!”
“Sh! I sent a check, too.”
“For how much? Oh, Gid!” The trembling hands were lifted to cover his face.
“I don’t know how much, so I just left the check blank an’ sent word you’d forgot the exact amount you owed. I—I reckon my bank’ll stand for a’ overdraft.”
Now the white face was slowly uncovered again and the staring eyes were fixed upon the Judge. “Carpenter came—I didn’t expect him—I told him I was short—I asked him to take the nuggets to the Mint—it was the only thing——”
“Never once thought of old Gid?” The Judge wiped at his eyes with the back of a hand.
“Oh, you’re too good to me!” Now Homer broke down and fell to sobbing.
“Don’t do that.” The elder laid a kind hand on the shoulder of the younger. “No; it’s a-goin’ to be all right, boy. Only I won’t spoil you no more, you bet your life. I’ll come down turrible hard on you if ever you do this kind of business again. You just quit your gamblin’, Homer. If you don’t I’ll never let you marry Alicia.”