The man
with the chuckle he chose to ignore, instinct telling him that haste
was needful.

The clerk was a slow man who deliberated upon each sentence, each
signature. Eager prospective bridegrooms could neither hurry him nor
flurry him. He took the pen from behind his ear as a small concession
to Johnny's demand, but he made no motion toward using it.

"Are you sure this is the couple?" he cautiously inquired of the
sheriff.

"Sure, I am. I knew this kid of Selmer's--have known her by sight ever
since she could walk. It's the couple, all right. The girl's eighteen
on the twenty-fourth day of next January, at five o'clock in the
morning. If you like, Robbins, I'll call up Selmer. I guess I'd
better, anyway. He may want to talk to these kids himself."

The clerk put his pen behind his ear again and turned apologetically to
Johnny. "We'd better wait," he said mildly. "If the young lady's age
is questioned, I have no right--" He waved his hand vaguely.

"You bet it's questioned," chuckled the sheriff. "Her dad 'phoned the
office and told us to watch out for 'em. Made their getaway in that
flying machine there's been such a hullabaloo about. He had a hunch
they'd make for here." He turned to Johnny with a grin. "Pretty cute,
young man--but the old man's cuter. Every town within flying distance
has been notified to look out for you and stop you. Your wings," he
added, "is clipped."

Johnny opened his mouth for bitter retort, but thought better of it.
Nothing could be gained by arguing with the law. He whirled instead on
Bland and the three reporters, standing just within the open door.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded hotly. "Who asked you
to tag around after me? Get out!" Whereupon he bundled Bland out
without ceremony or gentleness, and the three scribes with him; slammed
the door shut and turned the key which the clerk had left in the lock.
"Now," he stated truculently, "I want that marriage license and I want
it quick!"

The sheriff was humped over the telephone waiting for his connection.
He cocked an eye toward Johnny, looked at his colleague, and jerked his
head sidewise. The man immediately stepped up alongside the irate one
and tapped him on the arm.

"No rough stuff, see. We can arrest--"

"Don't you _dare_ arrest Johnny!" Mary Y cried indignantly. "What has
he done, for gracious sake? Is it a crime for people to get married?
Johnny and I have been engaged for