Show S SERIAL E STORY ML I 1 N 0 novelized from the comedy of the same name by illustrated rupert roper I 1 front von ot of the lk ply play as hushes hughes ily by ueary henry W savi mi ty by u IC fv po 7 SYNOPSIS harry NI mallory Is if ordered to the philippines 11 he e and marjorie Marj orle newton decide to elope but wreck of taxicab pro prevents nt their seeing minister on the way to thi the train transcontinental train Is taking on passengers porter 1 has 1 r ft t lively V e 1 y time with an and ai i d ira ir a anth L a ti 1 rop roi a yankee business man the malopera ha have v 0 an exciting time retting to the ral rain n little J wellington 11 agton bound fr for ileno to 0 o ret got a divorce boards train in maudlin condition Later Mrs jimmie appears slie site la Is also bound for reno with same object likewise mrs airs sammy whit comb latter atler I blames blame 3 mrs N ir a ia mm a tor for her marital troubles classmates of mallory decorate bridal berth rev and mrs mra temple start on a vacation they decide to cut loose and temple removes evidence 0 of f his calling marjoria Marj orla decides to let mallory proceed alone but train starts while they are lost in farewell CHAPTER IX all the starting of tho the train surprised the ironical decorators in the last stages of their work their smiles died out in a sudden shawe shame as it came caine over them that the joke had recoiled on their own beads they had done their best beat to carry out ut the time honored rite of making a newly married couple as miserable as possible and the newly married couple had tailed failed to do its share the two lieutenants glared at each other in mutual contempt they had studied much nt at west point about ambushes and how to avoid them could mallory have escaped tle the pit they had biad for him they looked at their handiwork in disgust the cosy corner effect ot of white ribbons and orange flowers bowers gracefully masking the concealed rice trap had seemed the wittiest thing ever devised now it looked the silliest the other passengers were equally downcast dow meanwhile Alean while the two lovers in the corridor were kissing goodbyes as lf II they were hoping to store up honey enough to sustain their hearts forat for n throe years fast and the porter was studying them with perplexity tie ho was used however to waking people out ot of dreamland and he began to fear that it if he be were discovered spying on an the lovers he might suffer fe r so hg coughed discreetly three or four times since the increasing racket of the train made no effect on the two hearts beating as one the small matter of a cough was as nothing binally the porter was compelled to reach forward and tap arm and stutter roe me but co could I 1 git b by the embrace was untied and tho the lovers stared at him with a dazed where whereat am I 1 look marjproe Marj orlo was the first to realize what awakened them she felt called upon t to 0 say something so she said as carelessly as if she had not just emerged from a young gent lemans arms oh porter how long before the train starts 7 trains rains done started missy 11 this simple statement struck the wool from her eyes and the cotton from her cars and she was wide enough awake when she cried on oh stop it stop idill mon I 1 can do missy alisay the porter ex postulated then ill jump ott off Marj orlo vowed making a daan for the door hut but the porter filled the narrow patti path and waved tier her back vestibules Vesti bules done locked up trains going lickett split 1 feeling that he had safely checkmated check mated any ciny rashness the porter squeezed past the dumbfounded pair and went to chan change ge his blue blouse for the white coat of his duties Al Mal allory lorys s first wondering thought was a rapturous feeling that circumstances had forced his dream into info a reality lie fie thrill thrilled ea with triumph youve got to go with me now yes ive got to go marjoree Marj orle assented meekly then sublimely its fate Kl kismet imet they clutched each other again in n fiercely blissful hug marjorie Marj orle came back to earth with a bump are you really sure theres a minister on board pretty sure said mallory Ali llory sobering a trifle but you said you were sure well when yov you say bay youre sure that means youre you re not quite sure it t was not an entirely satisfactory ju justification and marjorie Marj orle began to quake with alarm suppose there be I 1 oh then mallory answered carelessly theres bound to be ono one tomorrow Marj orlo realized at once the enormous abyss between then and the morrow mor rov and she gasperd gas d tomorrows Tomor rowl and no chaperon chapero nj oh ob ill jump out ot of the window mallory could prevent that but when she pleaded what shall we I 1 he had bad no solution to offer f again it was she who received the first inspiration 1 I have it she eho beamed yes yea Al Marj arjorie orlo tio be assented dubiously biou sly well pretend not to bo be warbled man led nt at all ho fie seized the rescuing ladder tants not married just friends till wo we cun can get married yes land and then wo we can stop being friends my aty love my friend they eni embraced tn in a most moat unfriendly manner an ali impatient yelp from too the neglected dog basket awoke them oil oh lord weve brought uros 11 of course wo we anve sho she took tho the dog from tho the prison tucked him under tinder her arm nn tried to compose hor her bridal face into merely friendly countenance before they entered the car but she bhe must pausa for ono more kiss ono one more or of noso taoso bittersweet bitter sw sweet acet goodbyes good byes and MC hory was nothing loath hudson and shaw were vero still glumly perplexed when the porter returned in hla his white jacket 1 I bet they missed the he train all this work for nothing hudson grumbled but shaw seeing the porter caught a gleam of hope and asked anxiously say bay porter have you seen anything anywhere that looks like a freshly married pair well and the porter rubbed his eyes with the back ot of his hand as ho he chuckled well theys a mighty lovin couple out theah in the corridor them thoy they it instantly everything was waa alive and in action it was as it ft a bugle hao had shrilled in a dejected camp get shaw commanded heres rice for everybody everybody take an old shoe said eald hudson you cant miss in this narrow car theres there a a kazoo for everyone too said shaw as the outstretched hands were equipped with wedding ammunition do you know the wedding march 1 I ought to by this time said mrs airs whitcomb right into the tangle of preparation old ira lathrop stalked on his way back to his seat to get more cigars have some rice for the bridal couple said ashton offering ott ering him of hla his own double handful but lathrop brushed him aside with a romance haters baters growl watch out for your head bead then cried hudson and lathrop ducked just too late to escape a neck tilling hair filling shower an old shoe took III him in a clip abaft the ear and the old woman hater dropped raging into the same berth where the spinster anno anne gattle was trying to dodge tile the same downpour still there was enough or of the shrapnel left to overwhelm the two young friends ll 11 who marched into the aisle trying to look indifferent and prepared for nothing on earth less than for a wedding ling chari charivari vart mallory should have done better than to entrust his plans to fellows like hudson and shaw whom he had known at west point for diabolically joyous hazera and practical jokers even as he sputtered rice and winced from the impact ot of flying footgear I 1 I 1 was cursing himself as a double dyed idiot for asking such men to engage his berth for him he had a sudden instinct that ahat they had doubtless be decked his trunk and mar jorles with white satin furbelows fur belows and ludicrous labels but he be could not dot shelter himself from the walte sleet and the black thumps he could coul d hardly shelter marjorie Marj orle who cowered behind him film and shrieked even I 1 louder than the romping tormentors tor mentors when the assailants had exhausted the rice and shoes they charged down the aisle rot for the privilege of kissing the bride mallory was dragged and bunted and shunted here and there and he be had to fight his bis way back to marjoree Marj orle with might and main lie he was tugging and striking like a demon and yelling Sto stop it hudson took his bis punishment with good nature laughing oh ob shut up or well kiss youl but shaw was scrubbing his wry lips with a seasick wail of wow I 1 think I 1 k kissed I 1 ased the dog there was of necess necessity tty soma some P pause ause for breath and the combatants draped themselves limply about the seats Af mallory Allory glared at the ahe twin benedict arnolds and demanded are you two thugs going to san francisco with roe me defit dont worry smiled i hudson were only going as far as kedzie avenue just to start the honeymoon properly it elther either of the elopers had bad been calmer the solution of the problem would have havi been simple mple el Alar marjorie jorl e could got get off at this suburban kati and drive home from there but their wits were like pled pied type and they were further jumbled when shaw broke in with a sudden come see the little dove cote w we fixed llred for you before they knew it if they were both baled along the aisle to the white satin atrocity love in a bungalow said hudson sit down make yourselves sel ves perfectly at home no never oh oh ohl cried mar jorie darting away and throwing herself into the first empty seat ira lathrope Lath berth mallory followed to console her with caresses A and d murmurs of theres there fjone cry de dearie arlel hudson and chaw followed close with mawkish dockety Moc kety dunt cry dearle dearie and now mrs airs temple intervened she bad enjoyed afie the initiation ceremony as well as anyone but alien the little bride began to cry she ehe re the pitiful terror and shy any shame she aho had undergone as a a girl wife and she hastened to orles side brushing the alien men away like alko gnats you poor thing she aho comforted come my iny child lean on mo me and have a good cry hudson grin grinned nod and nd put out his own arms nauib she aho can lean on me it II shed rather mrs temple glance up with indignant rebuke tier her mother to la tar far away and she wants a mothers breast to td weep ou on heros mine in iny Y dear the impudent shaw tapped his own military chest she can call uso use I 1 alno I 1 I 1 no infuriated tit at this bride baltic urn mati lory fory roso and confronted tho the two imps with clenched lists fists youre n pretty pair ot of friends you arel anro the imperturbable shaw put out a pair of tickets as his only de defense here are arc your tickets old boy and hudson roared jovially wo vo tried to get you a stateroom but it was gone I 1 arid and hero aro are your baggage checks laughed shaw forcing into tits his clata a few pasteboard awe we got your trunks on the train ahead till all right dont mention it youre entirely welcome it was the porter that brought tha farst roller relief from the ordeal it if you gemmen Is gettin oft at kedzie avenue letter better step smart were up tip now marjorie Marj orlo was sobbing too to hear and Af mallory allory swe swearing dring too inaudibly to heed tho tha opportunity cited ale offered ott ered and hudson wad yelling well goba byo bye old boy and old girl sorry we cant go all the way lie ha had litell tho the effrontery to try to kiss the bride goodbye good bye and shaw was equally bold but malloris Mal lorys fury enabled him to bleat agat them ok off ile ho elbowed and shouldered them thein down the aisle and sent after them one ot of his own shoes but it lust just mussed missed shaws flying coattails coat mallory stood glaring after the departing traitors he fie was glad that they at least were gone till he realized with a sickening slump in his vitals that they had not taken with them his awful dilemma and now the train was once more blIck ety clicking into the night and tho the west wesl CHAPTER X excess baggage never was waa a young soldier BO 60 stumped by a problem in tactics as lieutenant harry mallory safely aboard his train and not daring to leave it yet hopelessly unaware ol of how he was to dispose of his lovely but unlabelled unla belled baggage hudson and shaw had erected a white satin temple to hymen in b erth berth number one had created such commotion and departed in such contusion confusion that there had been no opportunity to proclaim m that he and Alar marjoree Marj orle jorte were not married lust just friends and now the passengers had accepted them as that enormous fund of amusement to any train a newly wedded pair to explain the mistake would haye have been difficult even among friends but among strangers well a wiser and P ft colder brain than harry malloree Mal lorye lorys could have stood there and delivered a brief oration restoring truth to her pedestal rut but mallory was in no condition for such euch a stole delivery ho he mopped his hie brow in agony lost in a blizzard of bewilderment ho he drifted back toward marjorie Marj orle halt half to p protect detect and halt bait for companionship lie he found mrs temple cuddling her close and mothering her as it if she were a baby instead of a bride did the poor child run away and get marr married I 1 ed Marj Alar orlea jortes frantic coo boo hoo hoo might have meant anything airs temple took it for assent and murmured mu fredwith red with glowing reminiscence just the way doctor temple and I 1 did she could not see the leaping flash of wild hope that lighted up face she only heard his voice across her shoulder doctor doctor temple Is your husband a reverend doctor A reverend doctor the little old lady repeated weakly yes yea a a preacher the poor old congregation weary soul was abruptly confronted with the ruination of all tho the delight in tier her tittle little escapade with her pulpit fagged bagged husband if she had ever dreamed that abe girl tri who was weeping in her arms was weeping from any other fright than the usual fright of young brides fresh from the pren preachers i chers ben edic tion she would have cast every other consideration aside and told the truth but her husbands fit behest before he left her had been to keep precious pretend secret she felt just then that a womans comans first duty Is to obey her husband besides what bV business sIness was it of t his young hup husbands bands what want her old husbands husband business was before she had fairly begun to debate her duty almost automatically mati cally ally with the instantaneous ln in staritt of self protection her lips had uttered the denial oh ob hols hes just a doctor there he la is now 1 mallory cast one miserable glance down tile the aisle at dr temple coming back from the smoking room As the old man paused to stare at the bridal berth whose preparation he be had bad not seen he be was lust just enough befuddled by his first cigar for thirty years to look a trifle tipsy the motion of the train and the rakish tilt flit or of his unwonted crimson tie confirmed the and annihilated malleres Mall erys newborn new born hope that perhaps repentant fate had bad dropped a parson at their very feet beet TO DO BE CONTINUED CONTIN UnD |