Instantly his "How!" changed to "Wow!" and then his throat clamped fast with a terrific spasm that flung the tears from his eyes. He bent and writhed in a silent paroxysm till he was pounded and shaken back to life and water poured down his throat to reopen a passage. The others thought he had merely choked and made no comment other than sympathy. They could not have dreamed that the old "physician" was as ignorant of the taste as of the vigor of pure spirits. After a riot of handshaking and good wishes, Ira was permitted to escape with his life. Mallory followed him to the vestibule, where he caught him by the sleeve with an anxious: "Excuse me." "Well, my boy----" "Your minister--after you get through with him--may I use him?" "May you--what? Why do you want a minister?" "To get married." "Again? Good Lord, are you a Mormon?" "Me a Mormon!" "Then what do you want with an extra wife? It's against the law--even in Utah." "You don't understand." "My boy, one of us is disgracefully drunk." "Well, I'm not," said Mallory, and then after a fierce inner debate, he decided to take Lathrop into his confidence. The words came hard after so long a duplicity, but at last they were out: "Mr. Lathrop, I'm not really married to my wife." "You young scoundrel!" But his fury changed to pity when he heard the history of Mallory's ill-fated efforts, and he promised not only to lend Mallory his minister at secondhand, but also to keep the whole affair a secret, for Mallory explained his intention of having his own ceremony in the baggage-car, or somewhere out of sight of the other passengers. Mallory's face was now aglow as the cold embers of hope leaped into sudden blaze. He wrung Lathrop's hand, saying: "Lord love you, you've saved my life--wife--both." Then he turned and ran to Marjorie with the good news. He had quite forgotten their epoch-making separation. And she was so glad to see him smiling at her again that she forgot it, too. He came tearing into the observation room and took her by the shoulders, whispering: "Oh, Marjorie, Marjorie, I've got him! I've got him!" "No, I've got him," she said, swinging Snoozleums into view. Mallory swung him back out of the way: "I don't mean a poodle, I mean a parson. I've got a parson." "No! I can't believe it! Where is he?" She began to dance with delight, but she stopped when he explained: "Well, I haven't got him yet, but I'm going to get one." "What--again?" she groaned, weary of this old bunco game of hope. "It's a real live one this time," Mallory insisted. "Mr. Lathrop has ordered a minister and he's going to lend him to me as soon as he's through with him, and we'll be married on this train." Marjorie was overwhelmed, but she felt it becoming in her to be a trifle coy. So she pouted: "But you won't want me for a bride now. I'm such a fright." He took the bait, hook and all: "I never saw you looking so adorable."