had seemed to put little fervour into the occasion
the good people of El Toyon supplied the deficit. Amid great shouting
and cheering Wayne Shandon made his smiling, hand-shaking way down
through his friends, coming straight to the girl whose eyes were the
happiest eyes that he had ever seen, shining through a mist of tears.

There was no hesitation now as Martin Leland put out his hand.

"I wronged you, Shandon," he said simply. "And I think that I knew it
all the time. It hasn't made me happy. I hope that you will accept my
congratulations."

"Thank you," answered Shandon. And he locked Leland's hand heartily in
his own.

Mrs. Leland had her motherly greeting to make and said it happily. Nor
did she use unnecessary words. In a moment she had slipped her arm
through her husband's and was moving with him through the surging
crowd, leaving Wayne with Wanda.

"Say, Red!" Mr. Dart, struggling valiantly with the crush, red faced
and triumphant, was screaming up into Shandon's face. "Some business,
ain't it, pal? Shake! Shake, Wanda! Where's old Mart? Good old
scout after all, ain't he? I want to go squeeze his flipper; I want to
go squeeze everybody's flipper. I want to go get drunk. Honest I do,
Red!"

Big Bill shoved a great, hard hand by Dart's shoulder, gripping
Shandon's. He didn't say anything, but his tightening hand, his
flashing eyes were eloquent.

Only when they had passed out into the courthouse yard, Wanda and Wayne
side by side, and had been left behind by the hat-tossing, clamorous
crowd, hastening out into the street, did Wanda speak.

"I am so happy, Wayne," she whispered. "Doesn't it seem as though life
were just beginning all over this morning?"

"Like just beginning!" he answered softly, drawing her arm tight, tight
to his side. "With you, Wanda."

There came a bright morning with the sun just blinking genially above
the tree tops, with the warm glory of the full summer in the air, and
under Wanda's window a voice calling softly. She had been asleep; she
was not certain that she had not been dreaming--

But the call came again, still softly, still ringing with a note which
sent a flutter into her breast.

"Awake at last?" and Wayne was laughing happily. "Ten minutes to
dress, my sleepy miss, and meet me at the stable. I'm going to saddle
Gypsy."

She heard him hurry away, and for a little she lay still, smiling.

He caught her up into his arms, as she came down th