"
"But your office is public," answered Ralph, "and I guess I'll go along
and see what happens."
"But I say I don't want any interference," and the squire raised his
voice. "You newspaper scamps always get things wrong anyway."
"Probably because you do not give us a chance to get them right,"
retorted Ralph. "This time we will try to stick to facts."
"Well, when I'm ready to give them out you can have them, but not
before," insisted the angry squire.
"But I'm going along, just the same," declared Ralph, as Tavia stepped
back to walk with him, so that the squire was obliged to go on with
Alice, who really seemed to be enjoying the experience.
The office of the justice of the peace was a dingy, dirty little place.
It had served Dalton for the small needs of a public office for some
years, Squire Sanders, of course, collecting a good income for its
yearly rental.
An old bench was stretched in front of the desk.
The girls sank down on this, making queer "faces" and comical gestures.
"My first offense!" sighed Alice, with mock sadness.
"Same here!" said Tavia in similar tone.
"Since you wish it," said Ralph to Alice, "I can act as counsel. You
know I really am studying law, and there is nothing like taking cases
for experience."
"Now, no skylarking here," called out the squire, "I want to hear all
about that case, let me see--the case of--I've got it somewhere," and he
turned the soiled pages of the "records" over rather roughly,
considering they were supposed to belong to the town of Dalton.
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