for a while. Several miles were passed
when we came in sight of a beautiful cabin, half hidden in a grove of
pines beyond the river. Mr. Stewart said we might as well "noon" as
soon as we came to a good place, and then he would ride across and see
Mr. White.

Just as we rounded the hill a horseman came toward us. A splendid
fellow he was, manly strength and grace showing in every line. The
road was narrow against the hillside and he had to ride quite close,
so I saw his handsome face plainly. As soon as he saw Elizabeth he
sprang from his saddle and said, "'Liz'beth, 'Liz'beth, what you doin'
here?"

She held her hands to him and said, "Oh, just riding with friends."
Then to Mrs. O'Shaughnessy she said, "_This_ is my Wallace."

Mr. Stewart is the queerest man: instead of letting me enjoy the
tableau, he solemnly drove on, saying he would not want any one
gawking at him if he were the happy man. Anyway, he couldn't urge
Chub fast enough to prevent my seeing and hearing what I've told you.
Besides that, I saw that Elizabeth's hat was on awry, her hair in
disorder, and her eyes red. It was disappointing after she had been so
careful to look nicely.

Mrs. O'Shaughnessy came trotting along and we stopped for dinner. We
had just got the coffee boiling when the lovers came up, Elizabeth in
the saddle, "learning to ride," and he walking beside her holding her
hand. How happy they were! The rest of us were mighty near as foolish
as they. They were going to start immediately after dinner, on
horseback, for the county seat, to be married. After we had eaten,
Elizabeth selected a few things from her trunk, and Mr. Stewart and
Mr. White drove the buckboard across the river to leave the trunk in
its new home. While they were gone we helped Elizabeth to dress. All
the while Mrs. O'Shaughnessy was admonishing her to name her first
"girul" Mary Ellen; "or," she said, "if yer first girul happens to be
a b'y, it's Sheridan ye'll be callin' him, which was me name before I
was married to me man, God rest his soul."

Dear Elizabeth, she was glad to get away, I suspect! She and her
Wallace made a fine couple as they rode away in the golden September
afternoon. I believe she is _one_ happy bride that the sun shone on,
if the omen has failed _everywhere_ else.

Well, we felt powerfully reduced in numbers, but about three o'clock
that afternoon we came upon Mr. Struble and Mr. Haynes waiting beside
the road for us. They had come to pilo