XVII
PENANCE
The Crosby twins had gone home very quietly, after doing all they could to help Colonel Kent and Madame Bernard. "The Yellow Peril" chugged along at the lowest speed with all its gaudy banners torn down. Neither spoke until they passed the spot where the red touring car lay on its side in the ditch, and four or five dogs, still hungry and hopeful, wrangled over a few bare bones.
Juliet was sniffing audibly, and, as soon as she saw the wreck, burst into tears. "Oh, Romie," she sobbed, "if he's dead, we've killed him!"
Romeo swallowed a lump in his throat, winked hard, and roughly advised
Juliet to "shut up."
When the machine was safely in the barn, and all the scattered dogs collected and imprisoned, Romeo came in, ready to talk it over. "We've got to do something," he said, "but I don't know what it is."
"Oh, Romie," cried Juliet with a fresh burst of tears, "do you think they'll hang us? We're murderers!"
Romeo considered for a moment before he answered. "We aren't murderers, because we didn't go to do it. They won't hang us—but they ought to," he added, remorsefully.
"What can we do?" mourned Juliet. "Oh, what can we do?"
"Well, we can pay all the bills for one thing—that's a good start. To- morrow, I'll see about getting that car out of the ditch and taking care of it."