im short. "You can explain it to the
judge."

While Brunner, Molberg and the men who had been captured with them were
being loaded into police cars, an automobile was observed coming toward
the lane which led to the sawmill.

"Block the road," Mr. Nichols ordered. "It may be more of the gang."

A police car was turned crosswise in the highway. The oncoming
automobile stopped just in time to avoid a crash. Officers instantly
surrounded the car.

Penny, crowding near recognized the driver as Jerome Davis. Beside him
crouched his daughter, Betty.

"What is the meaning of this?" Mr. Davis demanded.

His eyes swept the group and came to rest upon his own son who was in
the custody of an officer.

"Jimmie!" he exclaimed. His shoulders sagged; his hands fell from the
steering wheel. "I see I am too late," he murmured.

Betty sprang from the car and ran to her brother.

"Oh, Jimmie, how could you do it?" she cried brokenly. "How could you?"

Penny slipped her arm about the weeping girl and led her away.

"Why did you come here tonight, Betty?" she asked gently.

"We came because we knew Jimmie was in danger. We thought we might get
here ahead of the police and save him from arrest."

"Then your father knows the truth?"

"Yes, he's suspected for some weeks that Jimmie was implicated with the
dreadful Molberg gang. Tonight he forced me to acknowledge it."

"But how did you know, Betty?"

"Once I saw Jimmie with Rap Molberg at the Blind Pig. I realized too
that my brother was deeply in debt. I made him tell me everything."

"No wonder you were worried," Penny said sympathetically.

"I didn't know what to do," Betty went on nervously. "I was afraid to
tell Father the truth because I thought it would just about kill him.
He had pledged himself to the task of tracing down the Molberg gang."

"And of course, if Jimmie's name were linked in any way with the
automobile thefts, it would have cost your father his position."

"Yes, I was afraid too that Father would insist upon turning Jimmie
over to the police. He is so upright and honest. He detests a
criminal."

"How did your father learn the truth, Betty?"

"He guessed it but at first said nothing to me."

"How long has he known?"

"Since the night of the raid. At least that was when he first became
suspicious. He thought Jimmie had tipped off the Molberg gang that
their hideouts were to be raided."

"But how did Jimmie learn that?"

"F