her. She's my wife. I must have control of this place at once; and I'll
tolerate no farther opposition from her, or humbug from you. I've come
now to tell you this finally and peremptorily."

"She is not your wife," said Wiggins, coldly.

"She is."

"It was a trick. The ceremony was a miserable sham."

"It was no sham. It was done legally, and can not be undone."

"Legally! Pooh! The whole thing was a farce. It's no marriage.
Legally! Why, what has that miserable affair to do with the law?"

"What has it to do? It has every thing to do. The whole thing was done
in a perfectly legal manner. The banns were regularly published by the
vicar of Dalton in Dalton Church, and in that chapel Edith Dalton was
regularly and legally married to Leon Dudleigh by the Rev. Mr. Munn.
What more is wanting to make it legal? Go and ask Mr. Munn himself."

"The banns!" exclaimed Wiggins.

"Yes, the banns," said Leon. "You never heard of that, perhaps. If you
doubt me, go and ask Munn."

"It was not you that she married!" cried Wiggins, after a pause, in
which he seemed struck rather painfully by Leon's last information. "It
was not you--it was that other one. He called himself Dudleigh--a
miserable assumed name!"