placed herself in a difficulty by that indiscreet
tampering with Aunt M'riar's letter. She had done it in a fit of furious
exasperation with Daverill, immediately the result of an interview with
him on his reappearance at The Pigeons some weeks ago. Some whim had
inclined him towards the exhibition of a better selfhood than the one in
daily use; perhaps merely to assert the power he still possessed over
the woman; more probably to enable him to follow it up with renewed
suggestions that she should turn the freehold Pigeons into solid cash,
and begin with him a new life in America. She had kept her head in spite
of kisses and cajolery, which appealed with some success to her memories
of twenty years ago, and had refused to entertain any scheme in which
lawful marriage was postponed till after the sale of her property. The
parson was to precede the auctioneer.

But an escaped convict with the police inquiring for him cannot put up
the banns. Had Daverill seen his way to doing so he would have made
light of bigamy. Besides, _was_ it likely his first wife would claim
him? He preferred to suppress his real reason for refusing to "make an
honest woman" of Miss Julia, and to take advantage of the fact that his
"real wife" Polly was still living.

Then Miss Hawkins had made a proposal which showed a curious frame of
mind about marriage law. Her idea may be not unknown in the class she
belonged to, still. It certainly existed in the fifties of last century.
If Aunt M'riar could be deprived of her "marriage lines" her teeth would
be drawn, not merely practically by making proof of a marriage
difficult, but definitely by the removal of a mysterious influence--most
to be likened to the key of a driving-pulley, whose absence from its
slot would leave the machinery of Matrimony at a deadlock. Let Mr. Wix,
by force or fraud, get possession of this charter of respectability, and
he and his lawful wife would come apart, like a steamed postage-stamp
and its envelope. Nothing would be lacking then but a little fresh gum,
and reattachment. This expresses Miss Julia's idea, however faulty the
simile may be in itself.

"She's got her lines to show"--So the lady had been saying, shortly
before Michael came into the bar.--"But she won't have them long, if you
put your mind on making her give 'em up. _You_ can do it, Wix." She
seemed to have a strong faith in the convict's cunning.

He appeared to ponder over it, saying finally:--"Right you