alf an hour," he said.

She had no comment to make, and silence fell between them again until they
reached the outskirts of the town.

"We'll get off here and walk in," he ordered; and, after she had
dismounted, he picketed the horses close to the road. "You can send for
yours in the mornin'. Mine will be in the livery barn by that time."

The streets were practically deserted in the residential part of the town.
Only one man they saw, and at his approach MacQueen drew Melissy behind a
large lilac bush.

As the man drew near the outlaw's hand tightened on the shoulder of the
girl. For the man was her father--dusty, hollow-eyed, and haggard. The two
crouching behind the lilacs knew that this iron man was broken by his
fears for his only child, the girl who was the apple of his eye.

Not until he was out of hearing did Melissy open her lips to the stifled
cry she had suppressed. Her arms went out to him, and the tears rolled
down her cheeks. For herself she had not let herself break down, but for
her father's grief her heart was like water.

"All right. Don't break down now. You'll be with him inside of half an
hour," the outlaw told her gruffly.

They stopped at a house not much farther down the street, and he rang the
bell. It took a second ring to bring a head out of the open window
upstairs.

"Well?" a sleepy voice demanded.

"Is this Squire Latimer?"

"Yes."

"Come down. We want to get married."

"Then why can't you come at a reasonable hour?--consarn it!"

"Never mind that. There's a good fee in it. Hurry up!"

Presently the door opened. "Come in. You can wait in the hall till I get a
light."

"No--I don't want a light. We'll step into this room, and be married at
once," MacQueen told him crisply.

"I don't know about that. I'm not marrying folks that can't be looked
at."

"You'll marry us, and at once. I'm Black MacQueen!"

It was ludicrous to see how the justice of the peace fell back in terror
before the redoubtable bad man of the hills.

"Well, I don't know as a light is a legal necessity; but we got to have
witnesses."

"Have you any in the house?"

"My daughter and a girl friend of hers are sleeping upstairs. I'll call
them, Mr. Black--er--I mean Mr. MacQueen."

The outlaw went with the squire to the foot of the stairs, whence Latimer
wakened the girls and told them to dress at once, as quickly as possible.
A few minutes later they came down--towsled, eyes heavy with sleep,
giggli