preceding the giving of notice; then application in prescribed form is
made to the Registrar; and his certificate and license are usually
received one clear day later. Thus a resident in a district can be
married at any time within eight-and-forty hours of his decision. Will
Blanchard had to stop with his uncle nine or ten days more to complete
the necessary fortnight, and as John Grimbal's marriage morning was as
yet above three weeks distant, Phoebe's fate in no way depended upon
him.

Mr. Ford explained the position to Will, and the lover accepted it
cheerfully.

"As to the marriage, that'll be hard and fast as a bench of bishops can
make it; but wedding a woman under age, against the wish of her legal
guardian, is an offence against the law. Nobody can undo the deed
itself, but Miller Lyddon will have something to say afterwards. And
there's that blustering blackguard, John Grimbal, to reckon with.
Unscrupulous scoundrel! Just the sort to be lawless and vindictive if
what you tell me concerning him is true."

"And so he be; let un! Who cares a brass button for him? 'T is awnly
Miller I thinks of. What's worst he can do?"

"Send you to prison, Will."

"For how long?"

"That I can't tell you exactly. Not for marrying his daughter of course,
but for abduction--that's what he'll bring against you."