It may be imagined that I did not sleep very well that night. Early on
the following morning Sir John rode over.

"The sooner we look into this affair the better," he said. "We will ride
over to Edgerton today and examine the church register."

We did so. Alas! there was no mistake; the marriage had been celebrated
on the 14th of June. The two witnesses, as she said, were Sarah Smith
and Arthur Ireton. The marriage service had been performed by the
Reverend Henry Morton.

The entry was perfectly regular, no flaw in it. Sir John's face fell as
he read it.

"Now," he said, "the marriage laws in England are very strict; there is
no evading them. If this marriage is perfectly legal we shall find an
entry of it in the registrar's books. We must pay for a copy of the
certificate."

We went to the registrar's office. There, sure enough, was the entry,
all perfectly legal and straightforward.

"Now," said Sir John, "before we rest let us find out the Reverend Henry
Morton, and see what he knows about it."

That involved a journey to Leamington, where he was then residing. We
found him without difficulty. He remembered the marriage, and had no
hesitation in answering any questions about it. He knew Miles Trevelyan,
and had remonstrated with him over the marriage. But what could he do?
Miles was of full age, and told him frankly that if he refused to marry