trip died down. He was intent, worried
practical. Having registered at the hotel, he got a handful of time tables
and made his plans with care. They would drive to a town twenty-five miles
away, be married, and catch the California Limited. There would just be
time. Once he had her in his car, nothing could stop them.

The _plaza_ or public square about which the old town was built, and which
had been its market place in the old days, was now occupied by a neat
little park with a band stand. Retail stores and banks fronted on three
sides of it, but the fourth was occupied by a long low _adobe_ building
which was very old and had been converted into a museum of local
antiquities. It was dark and lifeless at night, and in its shadow-filled
verandah he was to meet her.

He had his car parked beside the spot ten minutes ahead of time. It was
slightly cold now, with a gusty wind whispering about the streets and
tearing big papery leaves from the cottonwood trees in the park. The
_plaza_ was empty save for an occasional passer-by whose quick footfalls
rang sharply in the silence. Here and there was an illuminated shop
window. The drug store on the opposite corner showed a bright interior,
where two small boys devoured ice cream sodas with solemn rapture.
Somewhere up a side street a choir was practising a hymn, making a noise
infinitely doleful.

He had a bear-skin to wrap her in, and he arranged this on the seat beside
him and then tried to wait patiently. He sat very tense and motionless,
except for an occasional glance at his watch, until it showed exactly
seven-thirty. Then he got out of his car and began walking first to one
side of the corner and then to the other, for he did not know from which
direction she would come. At twenty-five minutes of eight he was angry,
but in another ten minutes anger had given way to a dull heavy
disappointment that seemed to hold him by the throat and make it difficult
to swallow. None-the-less he waited a full hour before he started up his
car and drove slowly back to the hotel.

On the way he debated with himself whether he should try to communicate
with her tonight or wait until the next day. He knew that the wisest thing
would be to wait until the next day and send her a note, but he also knew
that he could not wait. He would find out where she lived, call her on the
telephone, and learn what had prevented her from keeping the appointment.
He had desperate need to know that someth