The three scented a good story and hastened their steps.
In the county clerk's office were two strangers who glanced significantly at each other when Johnny entered the room with Mary V close behind him and with Bland and the three reporters following like a bodyguard.
"Here they are," said a short, fat man whom Mary V recognized vaguely as the sheriff.

He gave a little, satisfied, nickering kind of chuckle, and the sound of it irritated Johnny exceedingly.

"Old man's a good guesser--or else he knows these young ones pretty well.

Ha-ha.
Well, son, you can get any kind of license here yuh want, except a marriage license." Place a chuckle at the end of every sentence, and you will wonder with me what held Johnny Jewel from doing murder.
"And who the heck are you ?" Johnny inquired with a deadly sort of calm.
"You ain't half as funny as you look.

Get out." With a jab of his elbow he pushed the sheriff and his chuckle away, guessing that the man with an indoor complexion and a pen behind his ear was the clerk.