“I thank you for coming and testifying, Doctor,” said Judge Little warmly. Then he turned toward the place where Elder Concannon had stood. The old gentleman, however, had reached the street before Dr. Poole. The constable stood alone to bear the brunt of any displeasure that might be due.
But Judge Little was a fair-minded man. He merely shook his head at the officer of the law. “We seldom know all the ins and outs of a case,” he murmured. “You were perfectly right, constable; the law was broken. But under the circumstances I think I shall allow the defendant to go under suspended sentence.” He smiled gravely at Janice. “I hope, my dear young lady, that you will not allow the remembrance of this experience to keep you from doing any similar act of helpfulness that may come in your way. Your standing with this Court is favorable.”
CHAPTER XIX
THE FIRST SNOW OF THE SEASON
The next time that Janice chanced to stop before the squatters’ cabin in the woods, her welcome was very different from what it had ever been before. Dr. Poole had been calling regularly to see the baby; he had somehow overcome “Pappy’s” objection to medical attendance for the poor little mite. And he had sung Janice’s praises and told how she had been arrested for taking Buddy to town in her car.
Black-haired Virginia was quite heated over the matter. “I’d ha’ done gone t’ town an’ told ’em what you done for Buddy, if I’d knowed about it,” she declared to Janice. “That old Concannon man is the meanes’ ol’ critter! He owns this yere house, he does. I’d like to go an’ set fire to his barns an’ burn ’em all up.”
“Oh, Virginia! don’t say such dreadful things!” begged Janice. “Think how the poor animals in the barns would suffer if they burned.”
“I’d take the hawses an’ cows out fust,” observed Virginia; “but I’d jest like t’ see the fire a-lickin’ up his barns.”
Janice had won a victory with Virginia. Their leader’s prompt acceptance of the character of “Turncoat” amazed the rest of the Trimmins tribe. Tom, the red-haired boy, would not believe that his chief aid and abettor in all mischief had proclaimed a truce with Janice and her motor-car.
But he very soon discovered that his sister’s present intentions were not to be trifled with or ignored. Just before Janice appeared before the cabin one day Virginia caught the red-haired little scamp scattering broken bottles in the roadway. She went for him like a cyclone, and when the car did arrive the two were rolling about on the muddy ground, Tom striking out masterfully with his fists, while his sister had her hands clenched in his hair, by the aid of which grip she was battering his head into the soft earth.
“Dear me! Don’t! I beg of you, stop!” gasped Janice. “Oh, Virginia! you might hurt him.” For Jinny had gotten on top of the red-haired one and held him face downward in the mire.