ng at each other in girlish fashion. But when they knew whose
marriage they were witnessing, giggles and sleep fled together.

They were due for another surprise later. MacQueen and his bride were
standing in the heavy shadows, so that both bulked vaguely in mere
outline. Hitherto, Melissy had not spoken a word. The time came when it
was necessary for the justice to know the name of the girl whom he was
marrying. Her answer came at once, in a low, scarcely audible voice:

"Melissy Lee."

An electric shock could scarce have startled them more. Of all the girls
in Mesa none was so proud as Melissy Lee, none had been so far above
criticism, such a queen in the frontier town. She had spent a year in
school at Denver; she had always been a social leader. While she had
always been friendly to the other girls, they had looked upon her with a
touch of awe. She had all the things they craved, from beauty to money.
And now she was marrying at midnight, in the dark, the most notorious bad
man of Arizona!

Here was a wonder of wonders to tell the other girls to-morrow. The only
pity was that they could not see her face--and his. They had heard that he
was handsome. No doubt that accounted for it. And what could be more
romantic than a love match with such a fascinating villain? Probably he
had stormed her heart irresistibly.

The service proceeded. The responses of the man came clearly and
triumphantly, those of the girl low but distinctly. It was the custom of
the justice to join the hands of the parties he was marrying; but when he
moved to do so this girl put both of hers quickly behind her. It was his
custom also to kiss the bride after pronouncing them man and wife; but he
omitted this, too, on the present occasion. Nor did the groom kiss her.

The voice of the justice died away. They stood before him man and wife.
The witnesses craned forward to see the outlaw embrace his bride. Instead,
he reached into his pocket and handed Latimer a bill. The denomination of
it was one hundred dollars, but the justice did not discover that until
later.

"I reckon that squares us," the bad man said unsentimentally. "Now, all of
you back to bed."

MacQueen and his bride passed out into the night. The girls noticed that
she did not take his arm; that she even drew back, as if to avoid touching
him as they crossed the threshold.

Not until they reached the gate of her father's house did MacQueen speak.

"I'm not all coyote, girl. I'l