t deal of time later on to learn her
name, and all about her. The matter is a delicate one, and we have not
since discussed the events of that day. But Aggie said later on, when we
were sitting in the dark and wondering what to do next, that Tish had
probably waited until Mr. Culver went out to look up a minister.
Whatever Tish said or did, the result was that only a short time after
Aggie had jammed on the brake, they came out together, and Tish was
carrying a suitcase. Myrtle was hanging back, but Tish had her by the
arm.
At first she did not see us. When she did, however, she worked her way
through the crowd and opened the rear door.
"Get in," she said, in an uncompromising tone.
"But I really think," said Myrtle, "that I should----"
"Get in," Tish said again, firmly. "We can talk it over later."
"But are you sure he sent for me?" she demanded, looking ready to cry
again. "I think it must be a mistake. He said to wait, and he would come
back as soon as----"
It was the crowd that really settled the matter, for some one yelled
that the girl had been eloping and that her mother had caught her in the
License Court. Most of them were men, but they called to Myrtle not to
let the old lady bully her. Also one young man said that if her young
man didn't come back she could have him and welcome. It frightened
Myrtle, and she got into the car and asked Tish to drive away quickly.
"I know it will be in the papers," she said forlornly. "And my people
think I am at a house party."
But the next moment I caught her looking at Tish's hat, and her lip
quivered.
"I guess I'm nervous," she said, in a choking voice. "I had no idea it
was so much trouble to get married."
Tish heard her, although she had her hands full getting the car back to
the street. She said nothing until we were in the street again, and
moving away slowly.
"Then you might as well settle down and be quiet," she said. "Because
you are not going to be married today."
Myrtle may have suspected something before that, perhaps when she first
saw Tish's hat, for she looked dazed for a moment, and then stood up in
the car and yelled that she was being kidnapped. Tish threw on the gas
just then, and she had to sit down, but I looked back just in time to
see Mr. Culver and the policeman standing in the center of the street,
gesticulating madly.
"Little fool!" Tish muttered, and bent low over the wheel.
Well, they followed us. At the top of the
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