The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1912-03-29

hand, she didn't say no, so / felt fair.
~ confident.
echo mountain called the con-
ductor. "Change cars for Alpine tav-
ern! Five minutes wait!'
On the right We're the ruins of ho-
tel, which we went over to observe.
Here we found cannon. mounted
and ready for business.
"That,'' said the man who had been
there before lis fired off occasionally
to show the marvellous power of echo.
1t reverberates here, yonder, to the
right. the left, many tires over"
l grasped Dorothy's hand and drew
her away from the crowd.
"Darling,' l whispered. w'm going
back on this car, and I'm going to mar
ry you tonght.s Wait here or at the
observatory yonder. When you get
tired of observing, pick your wedding
bouquet, for you will need it as soon
as | get back. Goodby, sweetheart"
And before she could do anything but
stare at me in a half frightened, wholly
charming way had caught the down
car and was out of her sight.
Once the car reached Los Angeles
was out, tearing along the sidewalk to
the courthouse. where the smiling coun-
ty clerk favored me with the precious
bit of paper which would allow me to
wed my Dorothy.
do you know anything about any
of the preachers in this town?" asked,
wiping my perspiring forehead.
His smile broadened. "Well, If it IS
a runaway match shouldn't advise
you to tackle the Methodist. A triae
narrow is MR.
ut isn't a runaway match" an
swered hastily, "but for certain rea-
sons l want the services of young
man."
"Nfr. b. of the Unitarian is about
your age. should Judge"
"Hes the man. Where can find
him?'
After getting definite directions l fed
down the courthouse steps. | found
Mr.. B., who when he had heard my
story laughed immoderately, but, as l
thought a voting man would, consent
ed to go with me. Consequently the
last car for Altadena and Mount Lowe
found us on board, together with a
huge, awkward parcel which | had
purchased on the way to the station.
AS the car reached Echo mountain l
found laughing. much larger crowd
than we had started with and in their
midst Dorothy, looking most uncom-
Portable, but holding in her little hands
bouquet of Indian paint brush, the
gorgeous coloring matching well the
hue of her own sweet cheeks.
"They've surmised something" l
whispered 10 my companion. "Wel'.
the more the merrier, suppose; kind
of tough on us, though"
At which speech l thought the min
lister was going to disgrace his cloth
again by unseemly levity. The crowd
drew back little as l advanced to-
ward Dorothy and introduced the rev.
erend gentleman. I tucked her little
trembling hand under my arm, and,
with my great parcel under the other,
the minister discreetly leading and aft
err us the crowd. though not fully un-
derstanding the play. we wendell our
way toward the cannon mounted and
ready for business.
l dropped Dolly's hand, tore the pa
per wrapping from my megaphone and
put it to my lips.
"Dorothy!" / shouted, and first this
hill, then that, here, there yonder. re
peated her sweet name,
raised it to my lips again, and BE
mine!" sang out the hills. Then laid
it on the ground and held out my
hand, while the women smiled and the
men tossed up their hats in delight.
The situation was severe, but my Dor.
othy was game. Blushing, fearful, yet
happy wthal. she gave me her hand.
and the minister stepped forward with
his little book