George!" he exclaimed by and by; "I'm going to marry you!"

"Indeed!" she exclaimed in mock surprise, and laughed happily. "The
way you said it sounded so funny."

She was perfectly content.

CHAPTER XXIII

WALLINGFORD GIVES HIMSELF STILL ANOTHER
STUPENDOUS SURPRISE

Mrs. Wallingford, gowned and hatted and jeweled as Fannie Bubble had
never been, and had never expected to be, tried the luxurious life
that J. Rufus affected and found that she liked it. She was happy from
day's end to day's end. Her husband was the most wonderful man in the
world, flawless, perfect. Immediately upon their arrival in the city
he had driven in hot haste for a license, and they were married before
they left the court-house. Then he had wired the news to Jonas Bubble.

"We start on our honeymoon at once," he had added, and named their
hotel.

By the time they had been shown to the expensive suite which
Wallingford had engaged, a reply of earnest congratulation had come
back from Jonas Bubble. The next day had begun the delights of
shopping, of automobile rides, of the races, the roof gardens, the
endless round of cafes. This world was so different, so much brighter
and better, so much more pleasant in every way than the world of
Blakeville, that she never cared to go back there--she was ashamed to
confess it to herself--even to see her father!

Blackie Daw, still keeping out of the way of federal officers who knew
exactly where to find him, met J. Rufus on the street a week after his
arrival, and, learning from him of his marriage to Fannie, came around
to Wallingford's hotel to "look her over." Fannie marveled at Signor
Matteo's rapid advance in English, especially his quick mastery of the
vernacular, but she found him very amusing.

"You win," declared Blackie with emphasis, when he and Wallingford had
retired to a cozy little corner in the bar cafe. Fannie had inspired
in him the awed respect that men of his stamp always render to good
women. "You certainly got the original prize package. You and I are
awful skunks, Jim."

"She makes me feel that way, too, now and then," admitted Wallingford.
"I'd be ashamed of myself for marrying her if I hadn't taken her from
such a dog's life."

"She seems to enjoy this one," said Blackie. "You're spending as much
money on her as you used to on Beauty Phillips."

"Just about," agreed Wallingford. "However, papa-in-law is paying for
the honeymoon."

"Does he know it?" asked B