The Delta independent., 1912-06-21

sented meekly; then, sublimely. Its
fate. Kismet!"
They clutched each other again in
fiercely blissful hug. Marjorie came
back to earth with a bump: Are
you really sure there's a minister on
board?"
Pretty sure" said Mallory, sober.
ing trifle.
But you said you were sure?"
well, when you say you're sure
that means you're not quite sure"
1t was not an entirely satisfactory
justification, and Marjorie began to
quake with alarm: Suppose there
shouldn't be?"
"Oh, then" Mallory answered care
lessly, there's bound to be one to-
morrow"
Marjorie realized at once the enor.
nous abyss between then and the
morrow, and she gasped: Tomorrow!
And no chaperon! Oh, I'll jump out
of the window"
Mallory could prevent that, but
when she pleaded, What shall We
do?" he had no solution to offer.
Again 1t was she who received the
first inspiration.
81 have it," she beamed.
Yes, Marjorie?" he assented, du.
biously.
ALL"
He seized the rescuing ladder:
That's it! Not married-just
friends
Till We can get married."
Yes. and then we can stop being
friends
my love-my friend!" They EN-.
braced in a most unfriendly manner.
An impatient yelp from the neg
lected dog basket awoke them.
"Oh, Lord, we've brought Snoozle-
ums."
"Of course we have" She took the
dog from the prison, tucked him un.
der her arm, and tried to compose
her bridal face into Il merely friendly
countenance before they entered the
car. But she must pause for one more
kiss, one more of those bitter-sweet
good-byes. And Mallory was nothing
loath.
Hudson and Shaw were still glumly
perplexed, when the porter returned
in his white jacket
81 bet they missed the train; all
this work for nothing" Hudson grum-
bled. But Shaw, seeing the porter,
caught a CLEAN of hope, and asked
anxiously:
Say, porter, have you seen any
thing anywhere that looks like fresh
ly married pair?"
"WalID and tho pOrtar r,,hhad his
eyes with the back of his hand as he
in couple out theah in the corridor"
That's them-they-it!"
Instantly everything was alive and
in action. 1t was as if a bugle had
shrilled in detected camp.
Get ready" Shaw commanded.
Here's rice for everybody"
Everybody take an old shoe,' said
Hudson. You can't miss in this mar
row car"
There's a kazoo for everyone, too"
said Shaw, as the outstretched hands
were equipped with wedding ammuni-
ton. do you know the Wedding
March'?"
Il ought to by this time" said Mrs.
Whitcomb.
Right into the taugle OF prepara-
ton. old Ira Lathrop stalked, on his
way back to his seat to get more
cigars.
Have some rice for the bridal
coupler" said Ashton, offering him OF
his own double-handful
But Lathrop brushed him aside
with romance-hater's growI.
Watch out for your head, then"
cried Hudson, and Lathrop ducked
just too late to escape a neck-tilling,
hair-filling shower An old shoe took
him clip abaft the ear, and the old
woman-hater dropped raging into the
same berth where the spinster, Anne
Cattle, was trying to dodge the same
downpour.
Still there was enough OF the
shrapnel left to overwhelm the two
young friends" who marched into
the aisle, trying to look Indifferent
and prepared for nothing on earth
less than for wedding charivari.
Mallory should have done better
than to entrust his plans to fellows
like Hudson and Shaw, whom he had
known at West Point for diabolically
joyous hazers and practical jokers.
Even as he sputtered rice and WINGED
from the impact of flying footgear,
he was cursing himself as double
dyed idiot for asking such men to en-
gage his berth for him. He had a
sudden instinct that they had doubt
less bedecked his trunk and Mar
jorie's with white satin furbelows and
ludicrous labels. But he could not
shelter himself from the white sleet
and the black thumps. He could
hardly shelter Marjorie, who covered
behind him and shrieked even loud