"That's the darlin'. Well, she drives that runabout of hers down Jefferson again, doin' nothin' less than forty-five and makin' real time in spots. Seems she's been fined pretty average regular. Well, traffic cop gets her and makes her haul up to the curb and crawls right in beside her. Uh-huh. And off they go to the station, her lookin' like she could bite off the steerin'-wheel. Well, Potter and I are comin' along in _his_ car, and we see the excitement and tag after. You know Potter?" "We do!" "'It's that von Essen kid, isn't it?' he says to me, and I agree with him. 'She's been caught too regular,' he says. 'They'll be nasty. Better trail along and see if we can help out.' So we did. Got to the station simultaneous and adjacent to them, and out jumps Potter. "'Afternoon, Miss von Essen,' says he. "'Mr. Waite,' she says, cool as a _bisque tortoni_. "'Pinched?' says he. "'Ask him,' she says, and jerks her head toward the cop, who is clambering down. "'She is,' says the cop, 'and this time she gits what's comin' to her. She been a dam' nuisance,' he says, 'and this here time I'm goin' to put her over the jumps. Git out and git inside,' he says to her. "Well, Potter sort of edged up to the cop and looks him over and says, 'I don't really see why this young lady has to go inside. You can make your complaint, and that about ends your usefulness.' "'She stays,' says the cop, 'and if I got anything to say about it, she sleeps on a plank.' "'You wouldn't care to do that, would you, Miss von Essen?' says Potter, with that grin of his, and I made ready to duck, because when he grins that way--" "We know," said the boys. "'Now you listen to reason,' says Potter. 'A police station is no place for a young lady. It doesn't smell pleasantly. So she doesn't go in. If bail's necessary or if anything's necessary, I'm here for that. But omit the stern policeman part of it.' "'Git out and come in,' says the cop to the girl. "'You and I are going in, friend,' says Potter, and he took hold of the policeman's arm. '_We'll_ fix this up--not the young lady. Come _on_,' says Potter, with his left fist all doubled up and ready. "The cop knew Potter, so they parleyed, and then they walked under the porch--you know the entrance to the station--and in a couple of minutes out comes Potter, looking sort of sneering and shoving a roll of bills into his pocket. "'Seems there was some mistake,' he says to Miss von Essen. 'It wasn't _you_ who broke the speed ordinance; it was I. I've arranged the mistake with the officer. Now, for cat's sake, cut it out. You'll be breaking into print _good_ one of these days, and there'll be the devil to pay ... or breaking your neck. You'll get yourself talked about if you don't ease off some.' And," said Randall, "he hardly knows the girl. Some line of talk for Potter to ladle out!" "What did she say?"