“Won’t you accept this as collateral?” she asked, slipping a gold bracelet over her wrist and handing it to the Justice. “Captain Nichols will bring you the twenty-eight dollars and fifty cents tomorrow, and get it back.”
Without answering, the Justice stooped and attentively examined the handsome bauble in his hand. The bracelet, of curious design, was studded with diamonds and emeralds, and the Justice, who had some knowledge of precious stones, was impressed by its value. He turned the matter carefully over in his mind before announcing his decision, and the minutes seemed endless to Janet and Tom, who were burning to get away.
“I’ll keep it,” the Justice stated finally, laying the bracelet carefully on the table and sweeping Tom’s money into his cash box; then he laid the bracelet in the box, and snapped the lid shut. He paused to make an entry in his ledger, then turned back to Tom. “Let this be a lesson to you,” he said severely. “You’re an officer of Uncle Sam’s, and you of all people ought to help preserve the Government’s laws. This state road is not a race course. Good evening.”
“I’ll be back tomorrow,” called Tom from the doorway, and he and Janet lost little time in getting under way once again. The short afternoon had come to a close, and Janet’s alarm grew as they motored slowly out into the darkness.
“What shall I say to the family?” she murmured.
“Let me tell them the truth,” advised Tom. “It was all my fault, I’ll take the blame.”
“Father will probably forbid my seeing you any more,” answered Janet, dolefully.
“Good Lord!” ejaculated Tom blankly; he felt as if the earth had dropped from him. “But I must see you, I—I—can’t get on without seeing you——”
“Can’t you?” a little hope crept into her voice. “I—I—should miss you awfully....”
“Would you?” Tom’s strong voice was husky. “I feel like a brute to have gotten you into this scrape; I must get you out of it——”