ht
one. The proof Mrs. Lecount relies on is my wife's infernal ghost
story--which is, in plain English, the story of Miss Bygrave having been
seen in Miss Vanstone's disguise; the witness being the very person who
is afterward presented at Aldborough in the character of Miss Bygrave's
aunt. An excellent chance for Mrs. Lecount, if she can only lay her hand
at the right time on Mrs. Wragge, and no chance at all, if she can't.
Make your mind easy on that point. Mrs. Lecount and my wife have seen
the last of each other. In the meantime, don't neglect the warning I
give you, in giving you this letter. Tear it up, for fear of accidents,
but don't forget it."

"Trust me to remember it," replied Magdalen, destroying the letter while
she spoke. "Have you anything more to tell me?"

"I have some information to give you," said Captain Wragge, "which may
be useful, because it relates to your future security. Mind, I want to
know nothing about your proceedings when to-morrow is over; we settled
that when we first discussed this matter. I ask no questions, and I make
no guesses. All I want to do now is to warn you of your legal position
after your marriage, and to leave you to make what use you please of
your knowledge, at your own sole discretion. I took a lawyer's opinion
on the point when I was in London, thinking it might be useful to you."

"It is sure to be useful. What did the lawyer say?"

"To put it plainly, this is what he said. If Mr. Noel Vanstone ever
discovers that you have knowingly married him under a false name, he can
apply to the Ecclesiastical Court to have his marriage declared null and
void. The issue of the application would rest with the judges. But if he
could prove that he had been intentionally deceived, the legal opinion
is that his case would be a strong one."

"Suppose I chose to apply on my side?" said Magdalen, eagerly. "What
then?"

"You might make the application," replied the captain. "But remember
one thing--you would come into Court with the acknowledgment of your own
deception. I leave you to imagine what the judges would think of that."

"Did the lawyer tell you anything else?"

"One thing besides," said Captain Wragge. "Whatever the law might do
with the marriage in the lifetime of both the parties to it--on the
death of either one of them, no application made by the survivor would
avail; and, as to the case of that survivor, the marriage would remain
valid. You understand? If he dies