their clubroom, and from the engine room
below had reared a sliding pole of shining brass. When leaving their
clubroom, it was always their pleasure to scorn the stairs and, like
real firemen, slide down this pole. It had not escaped the notice of
Fred, and since his entrance he had been gravitating toward it.

As the voice of the judge rose in violent objurgation, and all eyes
were fixed upon him, the chauffeur crooked his leg tightly about the
brass pole, and, like the devil in the pantomime, sank softly and
swiftly through the floor.

The irate judge was shaking his finger in Winthrop's face.

"Don't you try to teach me no law," he shouted; "I know what I can do.
Ef MY darter went gallivantin' around nights in one of them
automobiles, it would serve her right to get locked up. Maybe this
young woman will learn to stay at home nights with her folks. She
ain't goin' to take no harm here. The constable sits up all night
downstairs in the fire engine room, and that sofa's as good a place to
sleep as the hotel. If you want me to let her go to the hotel, why
don't you send to your folks and bail her out?"

"You know damn well why I don't," returned Winthrop. "I don't intend
to give the newspapers and you and these other idiots the chance to
annoy her further. This young lady's brother has been with us all day;
he left us only by accident, and by forcing her to remain here alone
you are acting outrageously. If you knew anything of decency, or law,
you'd----"

"I know this much!" roared the justice triumphantly, pointing his
spectacle-case at Miss Forbes. "I know her name ain't Lizzie Borden
and yours ain't Charley Ross."

Winthrop crossed to where Miss Forbes stood in a corner. She still
wore her veil, but through it, though her face was pale, she smiled at
him.

His own distress was undisguised.

"I can never forgive myself," he said.

"Nonsense!" replied Miss Forbes briskly. "You were perfectly right.
If we had sent for any one, it would have had to come out. Now, we'll
pay the fine in the morning and get home, and no one will know anything
of it excepting the family and Mr. Peabody, and they'll understand.
But if I ever lay hands on my brother Sam!"--she clasped her fingers
together helplessly. "To think of his leaving you to spend the night
in a cell----"

Winthrop interrupted her.

"I will get one of these men to send his wife or sister over to stay
with you," he said.

But Miss Forbe