The Delta independent., 1912-07-12
Copyright 1911, by Ii. Z. ny %.


ordered to the Philippines He and Ma9.
torie Newton decide to elope; but wreck
Sf taNicab prevents their seeing minister
IN the way to the train
CHAPTER II.-Transcontinental trai1
sy.Ix time ON ~ith se Ensiishman ana 1rs
1athrop. Yankee business man.
exciting time getting to the train.
CHAPTER Iv.-'Little Jimmie'' We'll
hngton, bound for Reno to get divorce.
boards train in maudlin condition. Later
Mrs. Jimmie appears
CHAPTER xI.-Ira Lathrop. woman
hating bachelor, discovers an old sweet
heart, Anne Cattle, fellow passenger.
CHAPTER xII-Mallory vainly hunts
Cor q preacher among the passengers.
CHAPTER xII1;-Mrs. WellinEten
hears Little Jimmie's voice Later she
meets Mrs. Whitcomb.
CHAPTER xIv.-Mallory reports to
Marjorie his failure to find preacher.
CHAPTER xv;.-They decide to pretend
. quarrel and Mallory hnds a vacant
esrfh.
ne sat down facing the feminine
end of the car, watching for Marjorie.
The passengers were watching for
her, too, hoping to learn what un-
heard-of incident could have pro-
voked the quarrel that separated
bride and groom at this time, of all
times.
To the general bewilderment when
Marjorie appeared, Mallory and she
rushed together and clasped hands
with an ardor that suggested a desire
60 Thu
passengers almost sprained their ears
to hear how they would make up such
= dreadful feud. But all they heard
was: "We'll have to hurry. Marjorie,
II we want to get any breakfast
"All right. honey. Come along"
Then the inscrutable couple sour
ried up the aisle, and disappeared In
the corridor. leaving behind them q
mighty riddle. They kissed In the
corridor Of that car, kissed in the yes
tibule, kissed in the two corridors OF
the next car, and were caught kiss
ing in the next vestibule by the new
conductor.
The dining car conductor, who nat
tered himself that he knew q bride
and groom when he saw them, es.
tHcm duuly " a ldolC lOA
two; and the waiter fluttered about
them with extraordinary considera-
ton.
They had a plenty to talk Of in pros.
Dect and retrospect. They both felt
sure that a minister lurked among the
cars somewhere. and they ate with
xest to prepare for the ceremony. ar.
guing the best place for 1t, and quar-.
Teling amorously over details. Nal
1ory was for one OF the vestibules as
the scene Of their union, but Marjorie
was for the baggage car. till she real
tied that Snoozleums might be unwill-
ing to attend. Then she swung round
20 the vestibule, but Mallory shifted
to the observation platform.
Marjorie had left Snoozleums with
Mrs. Temple. who promised to hide
him when the new conductor passed
through the car, and she reminded
Harry to get the waiter to bring them
. package OF bones for their only
Child" so far.
On the way back from the dining
car they kissed each other goodbye
again at all the trysting places they
had sanctified before. The sun was
radiant. the world good, and the very
train ran with jubilant rejoicing. They
could not doubt that a few more hours
would see them legally man and wife.
Mallory restored Marjorie to her
place In their car, and with smiles OF
assurance, left her for another par
son-hunt through the train. She wait
ed for him in a bridal agitation. He
Tansacked the train forward in vain,
and returned, passing Marjorie with
. shake OF the head, and sour
countenance. He went out to the OBJ
servation platform where he stumbled
on Ira LathrOp and Anne Cattle, en-
gagged in a conversation of evident
intimacy. for they jumped when he
opened the door, as II they were guilty
OF some plot
Mallory mumbled his usual. "Ex.
cuse me-" whirled on his heel and
dragged his discouraged steps back
through the Observation Room. where
various women and a few men Of evi'
dent unclericality were draped across
arm chairs and absorbed in lazy con-
versation or bobbing their heads over
magazines that trembled with the mo
tion Of the train.
Mrs. Wellington was busily writing
at the desk. but he did not know who
she was, and he did not care whom
she was writing to. He did not OBJ.
serve the baleful glare OF Mrs. Whit
comb, who sat watching Mrs. yelling
ton, knowing all too we'll who she
was, and suspecting the correspond
ent-Mrs. Whitcomb was tempted to
spell the word with one 'r."
Mallory stumbled into the mems
portion of the composite car. Here
he nodded with a sickly cheer to the