“The constable and you.”
“That’s good. ’Cause if you’d tole anybody else I’d have to ask you to go an’ untell ’em.”
Sudden hope came into her eyes. “Judge! You ain’t——”
“Yas,” said the Judge. He dropped a big hand into his coat pocket once more. It came out, the nuggets dangling from it.
In an instant she was beside him and had seized the string. “Glory!” she exclaimed.
“Now, I’m goin’ to ask a favour of you,” said the Judge. “It’s this: Just forgit about the nuggets an’ Homer. Will you? The hull thing makes you look silly an’ wouldn’t help the boy.”
“All right,” she promised. “My, but I’m happy!” She ran the nuggets through her fingers, fondling and counting them.
The Judge watched her for a moment. Then his face suddenly brightened; he smiled in his slow way. “I wouldn’t wonder if Homer thought you tattled to Alicia about him playin’ cards with Jim at the Occidental.”
“Yes, I did,” she admitted a little shamefacedly.
“Wal, he’s got even with you.”