laimed.

"Not at all! Not at all!" said the young man, and the young woman added
her voice in protest, too. "I am the head of the Statistical Department
of the Society for the Obtaining of a Uniform National Divorce Law, and
the work in that department has convinced me beyond a doubt that forced
marriages always end unhappily. In eighty-seven thousand six hundred and
four cases of forced marriages that I have tabulated I have found that
eighty-seven thousand six hundred and three have been unhappy. In the
face of such statistics Madge and I dare not allow ourselves to be
married against our wills. We insist on marrying voluntarily."

"That could be easily arranged," I ventured to say, "in view of the fact
that both your fathers wish you to be married."

"Not at all," said Madge, with more independence than I had thought her
capable of; "because my father and Henry's father are gentlemen of
the old school. I would not say anything against either father, for in
ordinary affairs I they are two most suave and charming old gentlemen,
but in this they hold to the old-school idea that children should allow
their parents to select their life-partners, and they insist that Henry
and I allow ourselves to be forced to marry each other. And that,
in spite of the statistics Henry has shown them. Our whole happiness
depends on our getting out of this building before they can come up and
get us. That is why we appeal to you."

"If you still hesitate, after what Madge has said," said Henry, pulling
a large roll of paper out of his pocket, "here are the statistics."

"Very well," I said, "I will help you, if I can do so and not miss the
six-thirty train. What is your plan?"

"It is very simple," said Henry. "Our fathers are both quite
near-sighted, and as six o'clock draws near they will naturally become
greatly excited and nervous, and, therefore, less observant of small
things. I have brought with me some burnt cork with which I will blacken
my face, and I will change clothes with Lemuel, and, in the one moment
necessary to escape, my father will not recognize me. Lemuel, on
the other hand, will whiten his face with some powder that Madge has
brought, and will wear my clothes, and in the excitement my father will
seize him instead of me."

"Excellent," I said, "but what part do I play in this?"

"This part," said Henry, "you will wear, over your street clothes, a
gown that Madge has brought in her suit-case and a hat that she