e of the peace had departed the day before to some distant
town for a visit. Luckily for Baldy's matrimonial plans, the parson had
been in Dry Bottom when the rider arrived, and he readily consented--as he
intended to pass through Lazette anyway--to carry Baldy's license to him
and perform the ceremony.

"Odd, ain't it?" remarked the parson, after he had concluded.

"That's a queer angle," repeated Dakota. "You got the license?" he
inquired softly. "Mebbe you've lost it."

"I reckon not." The parson fumbled in a pocket, drawing out a folded
paper. "I've got it, right enough."

"You've got no objections to me looking at it?" came Dakota's voice.
Sheila saw him rise. There was a strange smile on his face.

"No objections. I reckon you'll be usin' one yourself one of these days."

"One of these days," echoed Dakota with a laugh as strange as his smile a
moment before. "Yes--I'm thinking of using one one of these days."

The parson spread the paper out on the table. Together he and Dakota bent
their heads over it. After reading the license Dakota stood erect. He
laughed, looking at the parson.

"There ain't a name on it," he said, "not a name."

"They're reckonin' to fill in the names when they're married," explained
the parson. "That there rider ought to have knowed the names, but he
didn't. Only knowed that the man was called 'Baldy.' Didn't know the
bride's name at all. But it don't make any difference; they wouldn't have
had to have a license at all in this Territory. But it makes it look more
regular when they've got one. All that's got to be done is for Baldy to go
over to Dry Bottom an' have the names recorded. Bein' as I can't go, I'm
to certify in the license."

"Sure," said Dakota slowly. "It makes things more regular to have a
license--more regular to have you certify."

Looking at Dakota, Sheila thought she saw in his face a certain
preoccupation; he was evidently not thinking of what he was saying at all;
the words had come involuntarily, automatically almost, it seemed, so
inexpressive were they. "Sure," he repeated, "you're to certify, in the
license."

It was as though he were reading aloud from a printed page, his thoughts
elsewhere, and seeing only the words and uttering them unconsciously. Some
idea had formed in his brain, he meditated some surprising action. That
she was concerned in his thoughts Sheila did not doubt, for he presently
turned and looked straight at her and in his eyes she sa