ple get married when they
want to? Fancy having to live three weeks in Kentish Town! I wouldn't
live three weeks in Kentish Town to marry a Duchess.'

'I am afraid,' said Mr. Rupert, drily, 'that the Vice-chancellor is too
familiar with the sight of pretty damsels in distress. I think, Mr.
Hanbury, if you can produce a deed of partnership with your friends in
Southampton, that would be more likely to influence the Court. On our
side we agree. And of course there must be a humble apology from the
young man himself. We had better wait a week, or a fortnight, and then
renew the application. I will go myself and tell the young lady what
has happened.'

Madge did not go into a fit at all; but what she did do was to decline
positively to remain in Bruton Street. No; back she would go to the
rooms that her dear Jack had taken for her. They might come to see her
there if they liked; but that was her home; it was her place as a wife
to remain in the home that her husband had chosen for her. Madge did
not cry as much as had been expected; she was angry and indignant, and
she said hard things about the condition of the law in England; and she
had a vague belief that her brother Tom was a renegade and traitor and
coward because he did not challenge the Vice-Chancellor to a duel on
Calais sands.

Nevertheless, in her enforced widowhood, Madge found time to write the
enclosed letter--nay, she went first of all to the trouble of walking
down Baker Street until she came to a shop where she could get very
pretty and nicely scented notepaper for the purpose:--

'DEAR FRANK--Tom brought me yesterday your very manly and generous
letter, and I must write and thank you for your kind wishes for my
happiness. It's dreadful to think that persons should be shut up in
prison, when everybody is agreed it is needless--merely to satisfy a
form. You are very kind in what you say; you were always kind to
me--kinder than I deserved. But I didn't think you would mind very
much my running away; for I am sure you care far more for Nan than you
ever cared for me; and now Edith declares that Nan has been in love
with you all the time. I hear you have been doing everything in your
power towards getting poor Jack out of prison; and so I thought I would
do you a good turn also. You might take this letter to Nan, and ask
her if every word in it isn't true--unless you think you've had enough
of our family already. Dear Frank, I am so glad you