Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 7, 1925 — page 39: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SUSPENSE. “Oh, Elsie, dear. ” she chortled, = ain’t it wonderful? And wouldn’t you let me come — to the wedding? — Tl bring the gang at five and we'll see you off right, huh?” “That ’ll be great,” I told her, benevo- lent. And so L left them, Ida calling out something - about forgetting my handker- == chief. _ Handkerchiefs! What for, I’d like to know? There wasn’t gonna be no more weeping or wailing or gnashing of teeth— : He and besides I could borrow Andy’s. had a big lavender silk one, folded kitty- corner and stuck up ‘prominent in his breast pocket. — And ‘say, ‘didn’t he look swell? He wore a bow tie and an English straw with a saw edge and on his veel he bore a white gardenia. I snuggled over in the opposite corner of = the taxi, just so I could look at him, because it didn’t seem him. = And he looked at me, too, as if I didn’t geem me. Then after a pause he said formal that my dress was real pretty. I said I was glad he liked it and didn’t it — : know, after finishing his. Took it over to be sure you ain’t done nothing dumb. Hey,” he broke off, amused, turn out to be a nice day after all? He agreed to that without. no reservations and apologized for running it late. I said that was perfectly all right. 3 We sat, not knowing what to say, him wrestling aie his gloves and me ‘studying — as == a@ passing Jandscape. : ~ Then of a sudden the taxi swerved and I found myself in his arms just like old times, and he whispered over and over again under my cocked hat, “ Oh, honey, honey, dear! ”» and TL ‘sobbed in his collar button: “ Oh, Andy, I thought you was never coming!” , Then another silence hung, but it “wasn’t an empty one, for our hearts kept up con- versation though our lips couldn’t. And Andy kissed me tight ¢ on Columbus Circle. I shut my eyes. ‘our bliss like a bomb: “‘ Say, you over there, don’t let me catch you doing that again!” It was a cop. “Oh, Andy,” I exclaimed, sitting up flus- tered, é he seen us!” a: Naw, honey, he was just bawling the driver out for pes @ corner.’ : Finally we come to the Municipal Build- = = ing, rising like a finger pointing to heaven _. asked Andy why that was and he said so she wouldn’t have to. view the mistakes with Justice standing atop — blindfold. done in her name. Then I took Hie arm “ands we sienbed ; one flight of stone steps" with the hesitation Sao as they do in real weddings, though my high heels teetered like stilts. “Finally we come to the right door and SFhe in. The room was big and dark and _cluttere d with. papers so that it looked just like any old office—and I thought it was going tobe like achurch. Andy garnered some blanks to fill out -and I set down to table alongside a cute little blonde with dreamy eyes who smiled at me congenial. So I took pen in hand and commenced to write down the facts _ that would show I was. worthy of being my y Andy’s bride, while my heart fluttered to a sweet, invisible music that was Singing | in my. ears. “All right, foe Andy wanted to ae Better let me “how do you get this- way?” : “What. way?” “Here, opposite color you’ve went and wrote down ‘tan.’” “Why, ain’t that right, Andy? couldn’t call me ‘white’ after last Sun- day’s swim down to Coney, could you?” Andy smiled superior and showed me how it should be did. Then a man at a eashier’s window made us elevate our right hands and swear that what we said was _God’s truth. So he handed us a certificate _and fold us we could walk up one flight, save money and get married. We strolled out to the big hall where a high window poured in a soft light that A terrible voice was ‘booming, breaking warmed the cold stone—and it was almost like a church there. _ Andy wanted to stop a minute, but 1 said: ‘ Hurry, Andy! e He didn’t hear me, only raised my chin and looked. But Andy smiled, soothing, and a, “No, Andy—hurry, 1 hurry and you can have a million of vem,” I urged, knowing what he wanted. You 1Gcboo cS (eo —com Mat} ‘i Ne yh 509 =