has been evidence in favor of possibly establishing a
marriage--nothing more."

The distinction here was far too fine to be appreciated by Geoffrey's
mind. He frowned heavily, in bewilderment and disgust.

"Not married!" he exclaimed, "when they said they were man and wife,
before witnesses?"

"That is a common popular error," said Sir Patrick. "As I have already
told you, witnesses are not legally necessary to make a marriage in
Scotland. They are only valuable--as in this case--to help, at some
future time, in proving a marriage that is in dispute."

Geoffrey caught at the last words.

"The landlady and the waiter _might_ make it out to be a marriage,
then?" he said.

"Yes. And, remember, if you choose to apply to one of my professional
colleagues, he might possibly tell you they were married already. A
state of the law which allows the interchange of matrimonial consent
to be proved by inference leaves a wide door open to conjecture. Your
friend refers to a certain lady, in so many words, as his wife. The lady
refers to your friend, in so many words, as her husband. In the rooms
which they have taken, as man and wife, they remain, as man and wife,
till the next morning. Your friend goes away, without undeceiving any
body. The lady stays at the inn, for some days after, in the character
of his wife. And all these circumstances take place in the presence o f
competent witnesses. Logically--if not legally--there is apparently an
inference of the interchange of matrimonial consent here. I stick to
my own opinion, nevertheless. Evidence in proof of a marriage (I
say)--nothing more."

While Sir Patrick had been speaking, Geoffrey had been considering with
himself. By dint of hard thinking he had found his way to a decisive
question on his side.

"Look here!" he said, dropping his heavy hand down on the table. "I want
to bring you to book, Sir! Suppose my friend had another lady in his
eye?"

"Yes?"

"As things are now--would you advise him to marry her?"

"As things are now--certainly not!"

Geoffrey got briskly on his legs, and closed the interview.

"That will do," he said, "for him and for me."

With those words he walked back, without ceremony, into the main
thoroughfare of the room.

"I don't know who your friend is," thought Sir Patrick, looking after
him. "But if your interest in the question of his marriage is an honest
and a harmless interest, I know no more of human nature than the babe
unbo