ieved I was
giving service for service to my dearest friend."

"As to your other question," proceeded Sir Patrick. "Do I consider your
position to be a serious one? Most assuredly, I do! So long as we are
not absolutely certain that Blanche is your lawful wife, the position is
more than serious: it is unendurable. I maintain the opinion, mind,
out of which (thanks to your honorable silence) that scoundrel Delamayn
contrived to cheat me. I told him, what I now tell you--that your
sayings and doings at Craig Fernie, do _not_ constitute a marriage,
according to Scottish law. But," pursued Sir Patrick, holding up a
warning forefinger at Arnold, "you have read it in Miss Silvester's
letter, and you may now take it also as a result of my experience, that
no individual opinion, in a matter of this kind, is to be relied on.
Of two lawyers, consulted by Miss Silvester at Glasgow, one draws a
directly opposite conclusion to mine, and decides that you and she are
married. I believe him to be wrong, but in our situation, we have no
other choice than to boldly encounter the view of the case which he
represents. In plain English, we must begin by looking the worst in the
face."

Arnold twisted the traveling hat which Blanche had thrown to him,
nervously, in both hands. "Supposing the worst comes to the worst," he
asked, "what will happen?"

Sir Patrick shook his head.

"It is not easy to tell you," he said, "without entering into the legal
aspect of the case. I shall only puzzle you if I do that. Suppose we
look at the matter in its social bearings--I mean, as it may possibly
affect you and Blanche, and your unborn children?"

Arnold gave the hat a tighter twist than ever. "I never thought of the
children," he said, with a look of consternation.

"The children may present themselves," returned Sir Patrick, dryly, "for
all that. Now listen. It may have occurred to your mind that the
plain way out of our present dilemma is for you and Miss Silvester,
respectively, to affirm what we know to be the truth--namely, that you
never had the slightest intention of marrying each other. Beware of
founding any hopes on any such remedy as that! If you reckon on it, you
reckon without Geoffrey Delamayn. He is interested, remember, in proving
you and Miss Silvester to be man and wife. Circumstances may arise--I
won't waste time in guessing at what they may be--which will enable a
third person to produce the landlady and the waiter at Craig Fe