His musing, eyes were on the far line of mountains, velvety 101 black against the luminous blackness of the sky; his gaze rested thoughtfully on a great star that hung shining in the dusk over the horizon's edge. He seemed deaf to the clatter and squabble, blind to the movement in the room behind him. Softly he whistled, like a man wandering pensive beside a lonely sea, or in some remote, solitary forest, a man untouched by the more immediate and human things of life. The two horses after snorting and pulling back at first sight of the unaccustomed lights and the noisy voices, put down their noses toward the long, lush dooryard grass.
"He ain't lookin' at you. He ain't a-carin'," Flenton whispered to her.
For the first time Callista glanced directly to where her bridegroom stood. His back was to her—yes, his back was to her. And though the little whistle went questing on with its "How many miles—how many years?" even as her eye rested on him he made a leisurely movement toward one of the horses, like a man who might be about to mount. Swift as a shadow she slipped through the hands of those around her and down the steps.
"Lance," she breathed. "Lance." Then she was in his arms. He had lifted her to the saddle.
"Good land!" wailed Octavia Gentry, "if you've got to go, Sis, 102 they's no use ruinin' yo' frock. Here's your ridin' skirt," and she flourished the long calico garment and struggled to get down to the mounted pair.
Lance was on the other horse now. He paid no attention to any of them, but let his smiling gaze rove for the last time over the lighted windows, the noisy people, the long tables.
"What time will you-all be back?" called the still secretly chuckling old Ajax from the doorway, as he saw them depart.
"Never," answered Lance's clear hail.
"Oh, Lance—ain't you a-goin' to come back and have the weddin'?" began Octavia.
At this the bridegroom turned in his saddle, reining in thoughtfully. He would not accept this mutilated ceremony, yet the wedding of Lance Cleaverage should not be shorn in the eyes of his neighbors. Slowly he wheeled his horse and faced them all once more.