d ice-cream, and when they shoved back, and
lighted the cigars which Lester had provided with prodigal hand, they
all agreed that the barbecue was "up to the bills."

The ceremony at three was short, almost hurried, so great was the bustle
about the house and yard. Fan wore no veil and George Adelbert made no
change from the neat sack-suit which he had put on at rising. At the
close of the clergyman's blessing he was called upon for a second time
to pump the hard hands and stringy arms of his neighbors as they filed
by to bid them both a hearty God-speed.

After this painful procession was ended Fan dragged him away to the
bower where the young folks were already dancing with prodigious
clatter. "How young she is!" he exclaimed, as he saw her mix with the
crowd of tireless, stamping, prancing cowboys.

As the dance went on he grew furious with her lack of reserve, her
indelicacy. Her good-natured laughter with the men who crowded about her
familiarly was a kind of disloyalty. She seemed at times to be
exchanging doubtful jests with them; and at last, to protect her from
the results of her own fatuity, he danced with her himself--danced
almost incessantly, notwithstanding the heat and the noise.

At sunset they all returned to the tables and ate up what remained of
the ox and the pies.

Lester was well enough acquainted with these rough youths to know that
some deviltry was preparing, and, already furious with his bride and
distrustful of the future, his self-command at last gave way. Drawing
Fan away from the crowd he said, tenderly:

"I've had enough of this! I'm having Aglar harness the buckskins into
the red cart, and I want you to go to the house and pack a few
things--we're going to Limone and catch the early train for Denver."

"We can't do that, Dell; we got to stay here and feed this gang once
more."

"Oh, hang the gang! I'm sick of them. Get ready, I tell you! Who cares
what these beggars think?"

She laughed. "You're jealous of them." Then, rising to his passion, she
answered, "All right; I'll sneak some clothes into a bag and we'll slide
out and leave the gang."

A half-hour later they stole away toward the back of the garden and out
upon the prairie, where a Mexican was holding a spirited team. Fan was
giggling so hard that she was barely able to lift the valise which she
carried in her hand.

"Don't you tell," she said to the Mexican. "If they ask, say we went to
Holcombe."

"All right. I _s