history of the homes of Vernon and
Ridgeway. Never before had a Vernon married a Ridgeway, and--vice versa.
Therefore, the whole world would visit upon such a union its undivided
attention. That is the view all engaged people take of marriage.

Miss Vernon had employed six weeks of argument in convincing Mr.
Ridgeway that a church wedding was imperative, although she admittedly
preferred the simpler form, where the minister conducts the ceremony in
the presence of two witnesses and a ring. Society demanded the
exhibition. Mr. Ridgeway warned her that he could not survive the ordeal
and would leave her a widow at the altar.

Their difficulties had at last resolved themselves into that condition
which confronts every engaged pair; and they, like others, were
preparing to inform the world of their intentions.

"There's no way out of it, Hugh," she finally sighed, "unless we decide
to give up the hope of getting married. That would break my heart," she
said, with her rarest smile.

"This would be the most delightful period of my life if it were not for
that distressing announcement, the two months of purgatory between now
and the day of the wedding, and then the--calamity. I know it will be a
calamity. I can't get through it alive."

"You poor boy! I wish we could have a quiet little Wedding. It would be
so sweet, wouldn't it, dear?" she said plaintively, wistfully.

"But instead we are to have a hippodrome. Bah!" he concluded spitefully.
"I wouldn't talk this way, dear, if I didn't know that you feel just as
I do about it. But," and here he arose wearily, "this sort of talk
isn't helping matters. It's a case of church against choice. To-morrow
night we'll tell 'em, and then we'll quit sleeping for two months."

"There's only one way out of it that I can see. We might elope," she
said laughingly, standing before him and rubbing the wrinkles from
between his eyes.

Gradually his gray eyes fell until they looked into hers of brown. A
mutual thought sprang into the eyes of each like a flash of light
plainly comprehensive. He seized her hands, still staring into her eyes,
and an exultant hope leaped to his lips, bursting forth in these words:

"By George!"

"Oh, we couldn't," she whispered, divining his thought.

"We can! By all that's good and holy, we'll elope!" Hugh's voice was
quivering with enthusiasm, his face a picture of relief.

"Honestly, do you--do you think we could?" The girl's eyes were wide
with exc