wallowing something in his throat.

Blix rose to her feet.

"Just been MARRIED!" she repeated, a little frightened.
"Why--why--why; how DELIGHTFUL!"

"Yes--yes," mumbled Condy. "How delightful. I congratulate you!"

"Come in--come back to the station," said the Captain jovially, "and
I'll introduce you to m' wife. We were married only last Sunday."

"Why, yes--yes, of course, we'd be delighted," vociferated the two
conspirators a little hysterically.

"She's a mighty fine little woman," declared the Captain, as he rolled
the door of the boat-house to its place and preceded them up the gravel
walk to the station.

"Of course she is," responded Blix. Behind Captain Jack's back she
fixed Condy with a wide-eyed look, and nudged him fiercely with an
elbow to recall him to himself; for Condy's wits were scattered like a
flock of terrified birds, and he was gazing blankly at the Captain's
coat collar with a vacant, maniacal smile.

"For Heaven's sake, Condy!" she had time to whisper before they arrived
in the hallway of the station.

But fortunately they were allowed a minute or so to recover themselves
and prepare for what was coming. Captain Jack ushered them into what
was either the parlor, office, or sitting-room of the station, and left
them with the words:

"Just make yourselves comfortable here, an' I'll go fetch the little
woman."

No sooner had he gone than the two turned to each other.

"Well!"

"WELL!"

"We're in for it now."

"But we must see it through, Condy; act just as natural as you can, and
we're all right."

"But supposing SHE recognizes us!"

"Supposing she does--what then. How ARE they to know that we wrote the
letters?"

"Sh, Blix, not so loud! They know by now that THEY didn't."

"But it seems that it hasn't made any difference to them; they are
married. And besides, they wouldn't speak about putting 'personals' in
the paper to us. They would never let anybody know that."

"Do you suppose they could possibly suspect?"

"I'm sure they couldn't."

"Here they come."

"Keep perfectly calm, and we're saved."

"Suppose it isn't K. D. B., after all?"

But it was, of course, and she recognized them in an instant. She and
the Captain--the latter all grins--came in from the direction of the
kitchen, K. D. B. wearing a neat blue calico gown and an apron that was
really a marvel of cleanliness and starch.

"Kitty!" exclaimed Captain Jack, seized again with an unexplainabl