Show burger 4 15 Q 6 PAY MY GY V C cerr rr CHAPTER XIV continued 18 flodde lull laid at an I 1 affectionate hand hana on poor alf alfreds reds shoulder it simply dinean a that alfreds true blue she replied tied soberly lie lias has the loyalty of a dog it was awful of me ine to do it thought though I 1 dont know what think of me hall you have wt told him yet alfred go ont on I 1 and do hurry plea eol ool well she asked me to go down to the city hall with her tor for to got get a marriage license this afternoon it was and you know what I 1 thought well we went up to the desk and we e got a application a printed griper it was all about what wo we was as anti and how old like and we sat down to a table and miss fisher liero here she took a poll pen and ink hurry flurry alfred aurryl cried alodio I 1 impatiently well she went to work and wrote yes ye saes ses and noes on the lines anu she signed her name miss fisher did and sho she handed mg ma tile tho yen pen suddenly alfred turned his head bead and busied himself for a moment with his handkerchief lie ho returned to ilia his narrative almost choking 1 I 1 was waa lust just a coln to sign alfred J smallish my namo and ancl what I 1 always sign it when she says to tile me miss fisher lid did you write down this here name what I 1 tell you hall flail C citter ciller itter boni stello she tays lays you asked mo me to ask you to do something hard tor for me for to prove your love for met inal sho she says slid and indeed I 1 did mr air Bou latelle and so 1 I signed the paper and wo we had it swore to well give mo me the tha paper alfred do hurry cried anxiously alfred drew from his pocket the document and 40 handed it over to hall flail flodde bent over it you see bee alfred had to pretend ho he was you till all iles hes the same color you know halt hall looked up at alfred and smiled well I 1 mean hes bes white flodde explained anxiously yes lie he certainly Is rather white hall remarked and turned again to took look at tile the document ot of course wo we did have to lie ile a little that Is alfred did about your father baid mother you know I 1 know what their names were so wo had to call them john and mary you dont rhind do you not at all and you any former wives havo have you living or dead not anal hall flail was waa emphatic then its a perfectly good and it fits you and theres your name and everything and mine too you dont mind do you hall dear flodde bean to blush violently and was very confused you seo bee I 1 kind of thought bod were going to ask me I 1 I 1 sort eort of felt fell jt coming coining and I 1 knew be too stupid to get one yourself fl I 1 flotto flodde fidlier Donl stello he be exclaimed and threw up his fits fiands you certainly are a business domant I 1 dont see what chanco chance ill have after were mar married riedl hut but ain in perfectly willing to lot let you manage me flo I 1 certainly babu botched things chec ever ive iva trl tried d to run them myself ile he turned turied to alfred who stood looking at his shoes and you committed perjury alfred affied just for my bettke ett ke alfred drew himself up proudly not at all mr Bord stelle it was waa for miss fisher I 1 done rill au then you did it for me ily fly jove alfred lot let me shake shaka your hand A man cant be thanked tor for a service like that and he cant be rewarded but it if theres anything I 1 can do for you you name it I 1 theres only tho onu ono thing I 1 want tiow now mr Dont stelle would you leave nie be your best man at tile the weddin there tharo was once when I 1 hoped I 1 could ile be bridegroom myself mr air but I 1 see sea now that was foolish but it would lio lie a to see tho the last of miss allos fisher if you dont mind hall laughing slapped milt on an tho the back sure alfred you can call be the chief mourner alfred that Is if this license Is all right lets cill in mr doremus remus hell tell us lie he started for the dour door but piddle had already beckoned to tho the attorney who now came in with her well were going to have a cere diony after all I 1 paid cald I 1 tall hall im going to take you at your word and let ou marry me ine flodde interrupted his reply what la Is the shortest possible way you can do it and have it legall legal mr doremus Dorc mus she asked nudging him anxiously ch III fix that said lawyer it wont take two minutes coln on camo came a harsh voice at the door doon jonas was looking in corne come in jonas COMO come in and be among those present its ita my merry marriage morn I 1 cried hall half gayly flodde whispered to alfred run alfred bring everybody in bulck alfred digap aafred into tho the office hid I 1 c auld lle be headd announcing the in vit jonii however had begun to bristle 44 lie strode up to ills his cousin belli belligerent gereht ly why it aint no nd ase git marrie aled d naw now hall you know thail dont bo be foolish iturry hurry mr air doremus Dor unius hurrye harryt flodie was growing frantic she pointed to the clock it indicated twenty eight minutes past twelve hall however was in no haste basic oh I 1 know jonns jonas but you see kindle flodde and I 1 have decided to lose no moro more time you can give her away it you want to lie sat down laughing at ii lila is cousins dut but its past tw elvell jonas insist instated pointing painting to tho the clock oil oh I 1 know that that proves its a love match do cerit it come here hall and stand up by met me anyone alt one would think you want to get gel married mar 1 iloilo called nervously lly dy this time tins tile company had bad begun to enter and soon flooded th the 0 studio laughing wondering joking bokin g with hall flail go ahead 1 cried flodde ready mr borenius Do rennis renius she stamped tier her toot foot angrily oil oh wait a minute tall hall interposed we want this tiling thing arranged a little it wont do to rush it lie he turned to his guests ladles and gentlemen lie ho began when allen jonas broko broke in ili again see here I 1 object to this ile he walled up to mr air doremus Dor erous angrily mr air doremus remus however had already begun to thunder out hall dall do you take this woman flodde fish er to be your wedded wife just wait a minu tol cried jonas looking at its his watch were oft cumo came in a chorus from the excited guests 1 I doll do replied hall see bee hero here jonas you ou interrupt tile tho game you ou know sit down don and be dut but I 1 got something to say about it flodde fisher do you take be quiet mr air im running this itsu scheme its a fraud jonas appealed wildly to the company this man to bo be your lawful wed ded husband I 1 oil oh you ou old scamp you youve sold me out jonas shook his fits flat nt the 0 alfred drew from his hl poc pocket et the document brido bride and was pulled furiously back bach by alfred 1 I 1 dol do flodde ii creamed 1 I never mr I 1 only promised promise I 1 to prevent his marrying the others I 1 11 never ever said put on the ring put on the ring the company screamed laughlin laugh laughingly lil gly to hall ile ho obeyed then I 1 pronounce you ion inan and wis wife of 1 I never said I 1 get ili him 1 I myself ly Flod les words worda were ere sno smothered in halls kiss immediately she was surrounded by tha gentlemen of the company who passed p assed tier her from lip to lip protesting laughing struggling to speak mr doremus pressed halls hand 1 I congratulate you mr he cried enthusiastically thank you ou sir hall answered 1 ive I ve got a fortune in flodde 1 I think you have two was mr doremus reply mr would you mind telling me what time it is jonas turned white and started hur friedly to leave without a word flo die alert caught him as lie turned prid and snatched out his watch as deftly as a pickpocket she held it up to the company weve won I 1 eleven fifty elnel she shouted the company yany took it up and shouted too watches were brought out from a dozen pockets poc keto keta compared comra red and the timo til 10 corroborated its a itell jonas protested why look at tho the clock blocki its ita half past twelve hes flos too lato late I 1 tell YOW you the moneys rao menel why thata said hall amazed by taki sudden confusion 1 1 I set that clock ft hut but I 1 told you what time to set if flodde fairly yelled now and I 1 told you halt half an hour ahead on an purposed pur purpose mr doremus held up hla his hand sl SI lencel lence lie he thundered mr air if bury lie ho declared solemnly ire are witnesses enough present to piove giove that mr air Doni stelle was married before midnight As aa you are aware I 1 seldom take sides in any controversy but in ili this cne rny my little friend here flod le ilonis tell e completely won me over theroa theres no possible doubt that ilia t mr air I 1 oni stelle will inherit his une I 1 0 8 fort fortune uno hall a 11 burst buat out of his tranco aranco with a whoop 1 I hurrah I 1 I 1 lie he screamed ive won four millions of dollars dollar sl flodie stretched up on tiptoe and pulled town down his dramatically extended hand no sir air she announced 1 I won it myself fl THE END |