he ring, I know that for certain, because it rolled
under an article of furniture that looked suspiciously like a folding-bed
masquerading as a cabinet, and Frosty had to get down on all fours and
fish it out before we could go on. And Edith put her handkerchief to her
mouth and giggled disreputably. But, anyway, we got married.

The preacher gave Beryl an impressive lily-and-rose certificate, which
caused her much embarrassment, because it would not go into any pocket of
hers or mine, but must be carried ostentatiously in the hand. I believe
Edith was a bit jealous of that beflowered roll. _Her_ preacher had been
out of certificates, and had made shift with a plain, undecorated sheet of
foolscap that Frosty said looked exactly like a home-made bill of sale.
I told Edith she could paint some lilies around the edge, and she flounced
out with her nose in the air.

We had decided that we must go back in the morning and face the music. We
had no desire to be arrested for stealing Weaver's car, and there was not
a man in Osage who could be trusted to drive it back. Then the girls
needed a lot of things; and though Frosty had intended to take the next
train East, I persuaded him to go back and wait for us.

Beryl said she was almost sure her father would be nice about it, now
there was no good in being anything else. I think that long roll of stiff
paper went a long way toward strengthening her confidence; she simply
could not conceive of any father being able to resist its appeal and its
look of finality.

We all got into the car again, and went up to the station, so I might
send a wire to dad. It seemed only right and fair to let him know at once
that he had a daughter to be proud of.

"Good Lord!" I broke out, when we were nearly to the depot "If that
isn't--do any of you notice anything out on the side-track, over there?"
I pointed an unsteady finger toward the purple and crimson sunset.

"A maroon-colored car, with dark-green--" Beryl began promptly.

"That's it," I cut in. "I was afraid joy had gone to my head and was
making me see crooked. It's dad's car, the _Shasta_. And I wonder how the
deuce she got _here_!"

"Probably by the railroad," said Edith flippantly.

I drove over to the _Shasta_, and we stopped. I couldn't for the life of
me understand her being, there. I stared up at the windows, and nodded
dazedly to Crom, grinning down at me. The next minute, dad himself came
out on the platform.

"So it's y