The Prescott daily news., 1912-04-27

den, and would he come down to the train and marry me to a charming lady. He always wanted to marry Anne. I thought 1t would be a durned good joke to let him marry her-to me-"
 "D-did he accept?" Mallory asked. excitedly, lis he coming?"
 He is-he did-here's his tele- ao'am," said Ira. He brings the li- cense and the ring" He passed 1t over, and as Mallory read it look of hope spread across his face. But Ira was saying: Were going to have the wedding obsequies right here in this car. You're all invited. Will you come?"
 There was general yell of accept ance and Ashton began to sing, There Was I Waiting at the Church Then he led a sort of Indian war dance round the next victim of the matrimonial stake. At the end of the hullaballoo all the men charged their glasses, and drained them with an up- roariouss "H2w,"
 OOl Dl. hiu Idhtu luAuIl- ous delight in the success of his dis. guise and in the prospect of watch ing some other clergyman working while he rested. He joined the dance as gaily, If not as gracefully, as any of the rest, and in final triumph of recklessness, he tossed off a bumper of straight whisky.
 Instantly his Howl" changed to "Wow!" and then his throat clamped fast with terrific spasm that flung the tears from his eyes. He bent and writhed in a silent paroxysm till he was pounded and shaken back to life and water poured down his throat to reopen a passage
 The others thought he had merely choked and made no comment other than sympathy. They could not have dreamed that the old physician" was as ignorant of the taste as of the vigor of pure spirits.
 After riot Of handshaking and good wishes, Ira was permitted to es- cape with his life. Mallory followed him to the vestibule, when he caught him by the sleeve with an anxious:
 Excuse me-"
 Well, my boy"
 Your minister-after you get through with him-may l use him ?"
 May you-what? Why do you want minister?"
 ITO get married"
 Again? Good Lord. are you Mor- mon?"
 Me Mormon,"
 Then what do you want with an extra wife? It's against the law even in Utah"
 You don't understand"
 My boy, one of us is disgracefully drunk"
 Well, I'm not" said Mallory, and then after fierce inner debate, he decided to take Lathrop into his con- tidence. The words came hard after so long duplicity, but at last they were out:
 MT. Lathrop, I'm not really mar ried to my wife"
 You young scoundrel!"
 But his fury changed to pity when he heard the history of Mallory's ill., fated efforts, and he promised not only to lend Mallory his minister at secondhand, but also to keep the , whole affair a secret, for Mallory ex- plained his intention of having his | own ceremony in the baggage-car, or somewhere out of sight of the other passengers.
 Mallory's face was now aglow as the cold embers of hope leaped into sudden blaze. He wrung Lathrop's hand, saying: Lord love you. you've saved my ife-wife-both."
 Then Ire turned and ran to Mar. jorie with the good news. He had quite forgotten their epoch-making separation. And she was so glad to see him smiling at her again that she forgot 1t, too. He came tearing into the observation room and took her by the shoulders. whispering: "Oh, Mar jorie, Marjorie, I've got him! I've got him!@'
 No, I've got him." she said. swing ing Snoozleums into view. Mallory swung him back out of the way: T don't mean a poodle, I mean a parson I've got parson."
 No! I can't believe 1t! Where is he?" She began to dance with de- 1, light. but she stopped when he ex- plained:
 Well. I haven't got him yet, but I'm going to get one"