Pagina 34 di 657

"My cabby drove fast. I don't think I ever drove faster, but the

others were there before us. The cab and the landau with their

steaming horses were in front of the door when I arrived. I paid

the man and hurried into the church. There was not a soul there

save the two whom I had followed and a surpliced clergyman, who

seemed to be expostulating with them. They were all three

standing in a knot in front of the altar. I lounged up the side

aisle like any other idler who has dropped into a church.

Suddenly, to my surprise, the three at the altar faced round to

me, and Godfrey Norton came running as hard as he could towards

me.

"'Thank God,' he cried. 'You'll do. Come! Come!'

"'What then?' I asked.

"'Come, man, come, only three minutes, or it won't be legal.'