The Washington times., 1936-07-02

elopement, Nancy?" Elizabeth
was wide-eyed but thrilled. The
champagne was in her head as
well as in Nancy's. The idea
was NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
"Jasper'n leap at it. You
betcha. When accepted him at
the Colony Club he wanted to
get q license right away. But it
would mean waiting three days
under California law before we
can legally marry. And who
knows, in three days I might
meet someone else"
Elizabeth giggled.
Nancy took her by the shout
ders and swung her round. Her
eyes were like sparkling black dia-
monds as she Sprang her bpomb.
why not be a sport and make it
a double ceremony, Elizabeth?
You're only young once. He's got
money, hasn't he? He acts like a
millionaire. And he looks perfectly
marvellous! He looks as though
he could commit every sin in the
Decalogue and get away with it
beautifully. DeviliShly fascinat-
ing. If it weren't for Jasper, I'd
make a big play for him myself,
darling"
Back in the restaurant, however,
Nancy either thought better Of
her plan or her courage failed.
But it was Matched in Jasper'S
brain, born of champagne and of
his love for Nancy, and Of the
fact that at half past three in
the morning, Home SWEET Home"
was being played by the orches-
ira, and lights were being dimmed,
and one must leave.
Lets go to the Airport Gardens
and have quick one. The reStau-
rants open all night" he sug-
gested. There was a light Of deter
mination in his eye. Nancy was
slippery. Now or never! His
mind was made up.
If one could have looked into
the minds of the four people who
stood before "the marrying judge"
at Yuma, Ariz., with the hot wind
sweeping over the desert at half
past six that morning, one might
have ben surprised at the diversity
Of their emotions.
Jasper felt nothing. He had
passed out" in the plane. The
last bottle of Gerald's champagne
had plunged him in Nirvana. AS
he stood beside Nancy in what
should have been one of the most
solemn moments of his life, his
head nodded, and she had to prod
him frequently and give him his
cues, or shores would have taken
the place of responses to the mar
riage ceremony.
Nancy was thinking mainly Of
the photographs of herself that
would appear in tomorrow's pa
pers. With the tail of her eye she
had spotted a couple of news cam
eramen as they came in. It was
almost like being movie star. She
hoped that the pictures would do
her justice.
With Gerald Bruton at her
Side-Gerald slipping the ring
borrowed from the judges wife
over the third finger Of her left
hand-it was as though a great
tidal wave of joy were sweeping
Elizabeth up mountains. It was
the most thrilling moment Of her
life. Tears intensified the deep
blue of her eyes as Gerald kissed
her. They were man and wife
now. She trembled in the full
ness of her happiness.
And what of Gerald's thoughts?
There was a set look on his face.
In the hard, clear light of early
morning in the little desert town,
the lines on it looked as though
craven in bronze.
Only his eyes had life. He was
thinking fast. He had just seen
the news photographers.
Colonel Mccarthy went straight
from his argument with Elizabeth
to the brokerage house of Ed
mund Bruton and Company in
Los Angeles.
Perhaps he was unduly old
fashioned and cautious, but he
felt he was doing the right thing.
With a girl as good-looking and
headStrong as Elizabeth, one
couldn't be too careful. The fell
low must certainly be looked into.
ITO Re TouE;ruo5,