of conspiracy, the whole caboodle!"

"But the ladies, you darned old Rube--they can't--"

"Looky here, young feller, you can't dictate to me. I'll have you to--"

"We'll all go!" cried Mrs. Crosby warmly.

"To the very end!" added the new Mrs. Barnes.

"What will your father say?" demanded the groom.

"He'll disown me anyway, dear, so what's the difference?"

"It's rather annoying for a minister--" began the Reverend "Jimmy,"
putting on his hat.

"We'll beg off for you!" cried Mrs. Crosby ironically.

"But I'm going to jail, too," finished he grimly.

"All right," called Crosby from the window; "here we come!"

And forth marched the desperate quintet, three strapping young men and
two very pretty and nervous young women. They were met by Anderson Crow
and a dozen armed men from Tinkletown, every one of them shaking in his
boots. The irrepressible Mrs. Crosby said "Boo!" suddenly, and half the
posse jumped as though some one had thrown a bomb at them.

"Now, I demand an explanation of this outrage," said Jack Barnes