as standing before the door in the car, waiting to
take her to the City Hall to get the marriage license.

"Gee!" he cried, "you're the prettiest, sweetest thing that ever walked
this earth, with those cheeks all flaming like a rose! Are you happy?"

"Gloriously."

She motioned him to keep his seat and sprang lightly to his side.

"Aren't you happy, sir?" she added gayly.

"I am, yes--but to tell you the truth, I'm beginning to get scared. You
know what to do, don't you, when we get before that preacher?"

"Of course, silly----"

"I never saw a wedding in my life."

She pressed his hand tenderly.

"Honestly, Jim?"

"I swear it. You'll have to tell me how to behave."

"We'll rehearse it all tonight. I'll show you. I've seen hundreds of
people married. My father's a preacher, you know."

"Yes, I know that," he went on solemnly; "that's what gives me courage.
I knew you'd understand everything. I'm counting on you, Kiddo--if you
fall down, we're gone. I'll run like a turkey."

"It's easy," she laughed.

"And this license business--how do we go about that? What'll they do to
us?"

"Nothing, goose! We just march up to the clerk and demand the license.
He asks us a lot of questions----"

"Questions! What sort of questions?"

"The names of your father and mother--whether you've been married before
and where you live and how old you are----"

"Ask you about your business?" he interrupted, sharply.

"No. They think if you can pay the license fee you can support your
wife, I suppose."

"How much is it?"

"I don't know, here. It used to be two dollars in Kentucky."

"That's cheap--must come higher in this burg. I brought along a
hundred."

"Nonsense."

"There's a lot of graft in this town. I'll be ready. I've got to get
'em--don't care how high they come."

"There'll be no graft in this, Jim," she protested gayly.

"Well, it'll be the first time I ever got by without it--believe me!"

The ease with which the license was obtained was more than Jim could
understand. All the way back from the City Hall he expected to be held
up at every corner. He kept looking over his shoulder to see if they
were being followed.

Arrived in her room, they discussed their plans for the day of days.

"I'll come round soon in the morning, and we'll spend the whole day at
the Beach," he suggested.

She lifted her hands in protest.

"No--no!"

"No?"

"Not on our wedding-day, Jim!"

"Why?"

"It's not good f