know. And this is Mr. Jarrold. He
brought the judge and will be a witness."

Gloria from the last step regarded the three men as a prisoner might
have looked upon jailers coming to drag her to execution. Her lips moved
but no sound issued. "Judge" Summerling bowed stiffly and cleared his
throat. Steve Jarrold's hat ceased revolving an instant, then fairly
spun as though to make up for lost time.

Suddenly Gloria began to laugh hysterically, uncontrollably. Gratton
whipped back and stared at her; Summerling and Jarrold were mystified.
She looked so little like laughter! And, as both had cause to regard the
situation, there was so little call for laughter. But they could have no
clue to Gloria's thoughts. Her wedding! With that insignificant little
grey man in his cheap wrinkled clothes to officiate; with that unshaven,
leering, dirty man to witness! Holy matrimony! Gloria Gaynor's wedding!
She was near madness with the hideous, cruel travesty of such weddings
as are dear to the hearts of San Francisco "society" girls.

The "judge" was clearing his throat again. She looked at him curiously,
with the odd sensation that while Gloria Gaynor was asleep, drugged into
a deep stupor, there was within her another Gloria who took a keen
interest in the smallest happenings.

"This affair ain't any more regular than it ought to be," he was saying.
"Now, just the matter of the licence----"

Gratton jerked about and glared at him. The "judge" broke off with a
vehement clearing of his throat. In a moment he spoke again.

"Seein' as both parties _want_ to get married," he said hastily, "and as
circumstances is what they is--keepin' in mind how circumstances does
alter cases--well then--are you ready?"

That "Are you ready?" seemed to explode like a pistol shot in Gloria's
ears. Something within her shrieked: "No, no, no!" Gratton had said a
quiet "Yes," and was looking at her. She heard herself saying faintly:
"Yes."

Gratton put out his hand as though to help her down the last step. She
made a little gesture, motioning him back. He bit at his lip and obeyed,
though with a quick flash of the eyes. Gloria looked down at the step.
About six inches high, and yet--and yet where she stood was as high as
heaven, down there as deep as hell. She seemed powerless to achieve that
last step. But Gratton was stirring restlessly; he would put out his
hand again to help her. She shuddered and moved quickly. Now she stood
on the same level a