of welcome, and she sat down again, and
returned to her work, with a laugh that was also a little overdone.

"What do you mean by coming here?" he said, his voice hoarse with a
furious anger, which the sight of her seemed to have increased a
hundred-fold.

"Because it is my proper place," she replied, tossing her head, and
drawing out a long thread of green silk; "because I have a right to
come."

"You lie!" said Dare, fiercely, showing his teeth.

"Lord, Alfred!" said Mrs. Dare, contemptuously, "don't make a scene
before strangers. We've had our tiffs before now, and shall have again,
I suppose. It's the natur' of married people to fall out; but there's no
call to carry on before friends. Push up that lounge nearer the fire.
Won't the other gentleman," turning to Mr. Alwynn, "come and warm
himself? I'm sure it's cold enough."

Mr. Alwynn, who was a man of peace, devoutly wished he were at home
again in his own study.

"It is a cold morning," he said; "but we are not here to discuss the
weather."

He stopped short. He had been hurried here so much against his will, and
so entirely without an explanation, that he was not quite sure what he
had come to discuss, or how he could best support his friend.

"What do you want?" said Dare, in the same suppressed voice, without
looking at her.

"My rights," she said, incisively; "and, what's more, I mean to have
'em. I've not come over from America for nothing, I can tell you that;
and I've not come on a visit neither. I've come to stay."

"What are these rights you talk of?" asked Mr. Alwynn, signing to Dare
to restrain himself.

"As his wife, sir. I am his wife, as I can prove. I didn't come without
my lines to show. I didn't come on a speculation, to see if he'd a fancy
to have me back. No, afore I set my foot down anywheres I look to see as
it's solid walking."

"Show your proof," said Mr. Alwynn.

The woman ostentatiously got out a red morocco letter case, and produced
a paper which she handed to Mr. Alwynn.

It was an authorized copy of a marriage register, drawn out in the usual
manner, between Alfred Dare, bachelor, English subject, and Ellen, widow
of the late Jaspar Carroll, of Neosho City, Kansas, U.S.A. The marriage
was dated seven years back.

The names of Dare and Carroll swam before Mr. Alwynn's eyes. He glanced
at the paper, but he could not read it.

"Is this a forgery, Dare?" he asked, holding it towards him.

"No," said Dare, without look