sorry for his son, and
the beautiful face had made some impression on him; but my lady was
inflexible.

"The marriage must be set aside," she repeated.

The earl looked at her gravely.

"Who can set aside a thoroughly legal marriage?" he asked.

"You will find out the way," said my lady, turning to Mr. Sewell.

"I can easily do that, Lady Lanswell; of course it is for you to decide;
but there is no doubt but that the marriage can easily be disputed--you
must decide. If you think the girl could be trained and taught to behave
herself--perhaps the most simple and honorable plan would be to let the
matter stand as it is, and do your best for her."

"Never!" cried my lady, proudly. "I would rather that Cawdor were burned
to the ground than to have such a person rule over it. It is useless to
waste time and words, the marriage must be set aside."

The lawyer looked from one to the other.

"There can be no difficulty whatever in setting the marriage aside,"
said Mr. Sewell. "In point of fact, I must tell you what I imagined you
would have known perfectly well."

My lady looked at him with redoubled interest.

"What is that?" she asked, quickly.

The earl listened with the greatest attention.

"It is simply this, Lady Lanswell, that the marriage is no marriage;
Lord Chandos is under age--he cannot marry without your consent; any
marriage that he contracts without your consent is illegal and
invalid--no marriage at all--the law does not recognize it."

"Is that the English law?" asked Lady Lanswell.

"Yes, the marriage of a minor, like your son, without the consent of his
parents, is no marriage; the law utterly ignores it. The remedy lies,
therefore, in your own hands."

Husband and wife looked at each other; it was a desperate chance, a
desperate remedy. For one moment each thought of the sanctity of the
marriage tie, and all that was involved in the breaking of it. Each
thought how terribly their only son must suffer if this law was
enforced.

Then my lady's face hardened and the earl knew what was to follow.

"It remains for us, then, Mr. Sewell," she said, "to take the needful
steps."

"Yes, you must make an appeal to the High Court, and the marriage will
be at once set aside," said Mr. Sewell. "It is a terrible thing for the
young wife, though."

"She should have had more sense than to have married my son," cried my
lady. "I have pity for my son--none for her."

"I think it would be more fair to