“We were going to hunt up a parson in Upper Chester,” said the Captain, sheepishly.
Dr. Lavendar looked about, up and down the silent, shady road, then through the bordering elderberries into an orchard. “If you have your license,” he said, “I have my prayer-book. Let's go into the orchard. There are two men working there we can get for witnesses,--Danny isn't quite enough, I suppose.”
The Captain turned to Mrs. North. “What do you say, ma'am?” he said. She nodded, and gathered up her skirts to get out of the buggy. The two old men led their horses to the side of the road and hitched them to the rail fence; then the Captain helped Mrs. North through the elder-bushes, and shouted out to the men ploughing at the other side of the orchard. They came,--big, kindly young fellows, and stood gaping at the three old people standing under the apple-tree in the sunshine. Dr. Lavendar explained that they were to be witnesses, and the boys took off their hats.
There was a little silence, and then, in the white shadows and perfume of the orchard, with its sunshine, and drift of petals falling in the gay wind, Dr. Lavendar began.... When he came to “Let no man put asunder--” Captain Price growled in his grizzled red beard, “Nor woman, either!” But only Mrs. North smiled.
When it was over, Captain Price drew a deep breath of relief. “Well, this time we made a sure thing of it, Mrs. North!”
“_Mrs. North?_” said Dr. Lavendar; and then he did chuckle.
“Oh--” said Captain Price, and roared at the joke.
“You'll have to call me Letty,” said the pretty old lady, smiling and blushing.
“Oh,” said the Captain; then he hesitated. “Well, now, if you don't mind, I--I guess I won't call you Lefty; I'll call you Letitia?”
“Call me anything you want to,” said Mrs. Price, gayly.
Then they all shook hands with each other, and with the witnesses, who found something left in their palms that gave them great satisfaction, and went back to climb into their respective buggies.
“We have shore leave,” the Captain explained; “we won't go back to Old Chester for a few days. You may tell 'em, Lavendar.”
“Oh, may I?” said Dr. Lavendar, blankly. “Well, good-by, and good luck!”
He watched the other buggy tug on ahead, and then he leaned down to catch Danny by the scruff of the neck.