Nogales international., 1931-09-26
ELEVENTH MSTALMEN1
COPYRIGHT 1881
BY THE AUTHOR

rumble so that she can ride with Peter ano
have him to talk to about Carter. Rowena
gets Peter to consent to divide the expense
money each week as soon as 1t arrives
and astonishes Peter by eating too econ
onically.
The three tourists reach Denver, where
the next morning Peter and Rowena dis
cover Bobby has deserted them and returned
to New York by train. They are faced with
the impossible condition of continuing theiI
trip without a chaperon.
Rowena suggests to Peter that they mak'
a "companionate" marriage. They are mar
ried and go to Cheyenne, where their actions
when they ask for rooms on separate floors
arouses the suspicious of the hotel clerk
They finally succeed in getting rooms, bu
not without exciting the Laughter OF tn.
hotel loungers. They wire the company
they have been married.
They resume the trip the next day anc
are overwhelmed by a cloudburst IN ar
arroyo and are thrown out of the car. a
party of tourist campers gives them dry
clothes and food. Spokane is finally reached
and the hotel clerk smiles when they reg
lister. They find Rackruf Motors have
arranged public reception and dance fol
them. They are deluged with presents.
After the festivities. Peter angers tn
hotel staff by leaving his bride alone al
night and Rowena tries to console him fo
the bad opinion he has won by his actions
They find Bobbie awaiting them in the
hotel at Seattle and she travels with them tt
Los Angeles where they are met by an un
friendly hotel clerk, who summons the
police who thereupon place all three under
arrest for kidnapping Bobby.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
: "See here" said Peter angrily
''what sort of tommyrot is this any
how? This lady is too old for the
Juvenile Court. Why, she is her own
mistress. She's twenty-three years
old"
"We1l, according to the complaint
from New York, there is nothing we
can do about it. Our orders are to
put you Under arrest. You'll have
to talk to the judge"
"But, Peter" cried Rowena, "are
you going to let them arrest us for
not being married, when we are
married! Look at all the trouble
we've had. That's proof enough"
"But why should they say you are
only pretending to be married if you
really are married."
"Wel1 who says so? That's the
first question. Where did the COM
plant come from anyhow"
"From a gentleman in New York
by the name Of Carter Wellman-"
"You can fix this up" said the
officer. "You got influential friends,
amt you? They'll fix you up ali
right. Ali they got to do is swear
they know all about you and every
things jake and there you are. You
just hop down private in your own
car with Bill here to show you the
way-this is Bill Harmon-hne chap
too-he'll go down with you and in.
troduce you to the judge. He's a
swell gent, the judge is. He'll see
how things are in a jiffy."
1t was the simplest way out, and
the officers made it as easy for them
as possible, allowed them to walk un-
escorted through the lobby of the
hotel and waited at a respectful dis
tance when Peter stopped to send a
telegram, which he wrote with a very
firm hand and signaled for Rowena
to come and read 1t was addressed
to Carter Wellman.
"Are you going to marry Roberta
LozUeU Immediately on her return
to NezV York, or are you not? If
your engagement is cancelled, as
she believes, | shall marry her N.Y.
self Immediately. 4 rolling byozut
dmnsbIing gathers nothing but
trouble for all concerned Please
state your exact intentions"
"But you can't marry her." pro-
tested Rowena. You're married
now"
'Well, he doesn't believe it.-And
Rackruff, Inc, will pay for that wire
if | have to steal spare tire to get
it."
The judge proved extremely SYM
pathetic and agreed with Peter that
it was an outrage, no less, the way
people in love embroiled innocent by
standers in the tangled web of their
affairs. He had his secretary send
off wire to Denver to verify the
marriage, and to Rackruff Motors,
Inc, in New York, for details of the
trip and complete information re-
garding Rowena and Peter. He even
sent for the local Rackruff dealer,
who fortunately turned out to be both
a native son and a brother Elk He
was willing to stand entirely respon-
sible for their appearance if required.
Besides seeing to their freedom he
made Rowena present of friendly
little dog which ne had found in his
showrooms that morning and which
Rowena promptly proceeded to call
Constantine. Peter grumbled at the
addition to their party but was over
ruled.
And so Rowena had a companion
on the rumble seat from then on.
By the salesman's good Offices they
were enabled to return to the hotel
without police escort or surveillance
of any kind.
In the early morning Peter read to
the girls the answer to his personal
telegram.
Such has been and is nv in
tention," read the telegram. .I am
probably the last man H9Gng en-
tirely honorable IN my dealings