The citizen., 1915-07-15

uuNt IL ltilOWs
81 shall see II, whatever color Il Is,
you can be sure Of thatr' said Mark
CALAMITY. Then it's decided that next
morning Ill walt at the tavern from
sunrise, and whenever your father and
Waitstill have driven up Saco hill I'll
come and pick you up, and we'll be or
like a streak OF lightning across the
hills TO New Hampshire. How lucky
that Riverboro is only thirty miles
from the state line! II looks like snow,
and how ! wish II would be something
more than furry, a regular whizzing,
whirring storm that would pack the
roads and let us slip over them with
our sleigh bells ringingr'
II should like that, for they would
he our only wedding bells. oh. Mark!
What II waItstill shouldn't go, after
all, though ! heard father tell her that
he needed her to buy things for the
store, and that they wouldn't be back
till after nightfall. Just to think Of
being married without waitstillr
"You can do without Waitstill on
this one OCCASION better than you can
without me-" laughed Mark, pinching
Patty's cheek. I've given the town
, clerk due notice aud have a friend
TO meet me at his office. lie Is going
to lend me his horse for the drive
home. and we shall change back the
next week. That will give us fresh
horse each way and we'll 6y like the
wind, snow or no snow. When we
come down Guide Board hill that night,
| Patty, we shall he man and wife; isn't
that wonderfuly"
1--WE shall be man and wife In New
Hampshire. but not in Maine. you
say" Patty reminded him dolefully.
"It does seem dreadful that we can't
be married In our own state and have
to go dangling about with this secret
on our minds day and night, but 1t
can't be helped. You'll try not TO even
think of me as your wife till we 20 to
Portsmouth to live. won't your"
you're asking too much when you
say I'm not to think of you as my
wife, for shall think OF nothing else.
but I've given you my solemn prom
ise," said Mark stoutly. "and I'll keep
it as sure as | live. Wen be legally
married by the laws of New Hamp-
shire. but we won't think of Ii as a
marriage till tell your father and
mine and we drive away once more to-
gether. That time 1t will be In the
sight Of everybody. with our heads in
the air I've got the little house In
Portsmouth all ready. Patty. It's small.
but it's i'm a nice part of the town.
Portsmouth Is pretty place. but it'll
be great deal prettier when 1t has
Mrs. Mark Wilson living In It, We
can be married over again In Maine
afterward II your heart Is set upon 1t.
I'm willing to marry you In every
state Of the Union so far as ! am
concerned
81 think you've been so kind and
good and thoughtful. Mark. dear" said
Patty, more fondly and meltingly than
she had ever spoken TO him before.
"and so clever too. do respect you
for getting that good position in Ports
mouth and being able to set up for
yourself at your age. | shouldn't Won
der a bit IL you were a judge some
day and thsA what proud girl !
shall be-
Patty's praise was bestowed none
too frequently. and 1t sounded very
sweet In the young mans ears.
81 do believe can get on with you
to help me. Patty" he said, pressing
her arm more closely to his side and
looking down ardently into her radiant
face. you're great deal cleverer
than am, but have a faculty for the
business Of the law. so my father says.
and a faculty for money making too.
And even il we have to begin in a
small way my salary will be certain
/ ty. and we'll work up together. i can
see you I'm a yellow satin dress stif
enough to stand aloner'
at must be white satin, II you
please, not yellow! After having used
a hundred and ten yards of shop worn
yellow calico on myself within two
years l never want to wear that color
again! II only l could come to you
better provided" she sighed, with the
suggestion Of tears In her voice. "If
I'd been a common servant l could
have saved something from my wages
to be married on. haven't even got
anything to be married I'M"
"I'il get you anything you want In
Portland tomorrow"
Certainly not; I'd rather be married
In rags than have you spend your
money upon me beforehand
Remember to have a box Of your
belongings packed and slipped under
the shed somewhere. You can't be GER
tain what your father will say or do
when the time comes for telling him,
and ] want you to be ready to leave
on moments notice"
81 will; I'll do everything you say,
Mark. But are you sure that we have
thought OF every other wayf l do so
hate being underhanded. Everything
depends on my keeping 1t secret from
waitstill, but she doesn't suspect any
thing yet. She thinks of me as moth
ing but child still. Do you suppose
Ellen would go with us just to give me