Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-10-02
The Daily Story
A Hasty Marriage-By F. A. Mitchell
Copyrighted. 1914 by Associated LITERARY Bureau.

A young man-he was ABOUT LnITty-
was on the roof of a little trap OF
house nesting among trees on tn'
margin of a lake in the heart OF Yer
mont. His costume was pair Of
soiled trousers and flannel shirt
What occupied him on the roof wal
replacing rotted shingles. A woman In
an auto, which she was driving herself
saw him from the road, which ran
hundred feet from the house. She
stopped her machine and called to him
II say-you thereon the roofF'
The shingler looked up.
"Are you marriedT'
mo"
"I'u give you a thousand dollars II
you'll marry me right OF"
The man was about to drive nail
but suspended his work and looked al
the woman for moment, then said:
wait bit. I'll come down and have
a look at you. If you're not Gorgon
don't know but I'll take you up
He slid down to a ladder, descended
by it to the ground and walked leisure
ly toward the woman who was SO
anxious for husband.
The man FASTENED his steps and soon
stood beside the auto. In 1t was young
woman between twenty and twenty
five years old and comely.
what have to say must be said In
a hurry. / have property which was
left ME in care of those who will in
herit it in case 1 don't comply with a
condition of the will, which Is that L
shall be married by the time 1 am
twenty-five. I shall be twenty-five In
three days. Those who will inherit II
/ don't are after me to shut me up on
the ground of Iunacy. Oh, heavens"
She paused, listened, then went on.
81 thought 1 heard them coming. I
have only half an hours start
I'll get in and you can tell me the
rest on the way"
! ooh, dor
He got in beside her, and she start
ed on.
'I understand your case" he said.
"You wish me to marry you to comply
with the provision in the will"
81 do"
'And 1 as your husband will have a
prior right TO those who are after you
to your care:''
81 didn't think Of that"
Turn to the left here. Do you see
that spire over there? The parson lives
in that little white house with green
blinds beside it,
She turned as directed. and the
man continued:
You wish me to agree beforehand
ola %aI -s1rI% Nhn
marriage being one of form solely. ex-
cept as shall aid you in your legal
contest, and to consent to an annul-
ment when you desire one"
How nice to have you say it all In
stead of having to do it myself! 1
have always considered you country
people stupid. You surprise me-
This agreement must be verbal and
a secret between us or it might defeat
its purpose. You'll have to trust me.
If 1 go back on my pledge you can't
hold me since there is neither writ
ten contract nor witnesses TO a verbal
one"
The only reply TO this was a gasp.
Suddenly there was a sound coming
from behind which both knew to be
gaining power for his machine by cut
ting off the muffier.
The woman, yielding unconsciously
to the instinct of relying on man
for protection, was about to relinquish
her grasp on the wheel TO throw her
arms around her companion when. see
ing her design and not being in posi-
ton to steer the car himself, he ad-
her sharply.
Hold on for your life!'
This steadied her, and she kept the
in the road while the man.
reaching over to the wheel, turned on
al the speed of which the car was ca
pablo.
The road was tortuous; the machine
rocked and skidded But fortune IA
Tored the fugitives. and, although sew
aral times they came near going over.
hey kept right side up till they struck
l straight level. at the end of which
was the church and beside it their goal
Here we are he continued as they
dashed up to the white house with
green blinds. There was honk be-
lind them. and, looking back, they saw
cloud of dust. "All depends on our 4
hiding the Darson at home He jump /
"a from the car, ran TO the house (
md hammered on the door. The sum- .
mons was answered by the parson .
himself /
"Win You marry u.s." asked the lady, /
Who had come up.
Got license:"
"Oh, heavens, Must we have that?"
The groom expectant explained in a
ew words the situation. and the
clergyman consented. The pair went
inside. gave their names and were
married.
Got gun in the house," asked tho
room.
"A fowling piece shoot birds With"
LET me have it"
The clergyman brought his gun and
ave it to the man who had asked for
I. There was no reason why he
hould not do so. for it was not load