her smile now. Then the whole truth
burst upon Carnac. "Married--married! When did I marry you? Good God!"

"You married me this afternoon after lunch at Shipton. I have the
certificate and I mean to hold you to it."

"You mean to hold me to it--a real marriage to-day at Shipton! You and
your father and Ingot tricked me into this."

"He was a real Judge, and it was a real marriage."

"It is a fraud, and I'll unmask it," Carnac declared in anger.

"It would be difficult to prove. You signed our names in the hotel
register as Mr. and Mrs. Carnac Grier. I mean to stick to that
name--Mrs. Carnac Grier. I'll make you a good wife, Carnac--do believe
it.

"I'll believe nothing but the worst of you ever. I'll fight the thing
out, by God!"

She shook her head and smiled. "I meant you to marry me, when you saved
my life from the streetcar. I never saw but one man I wanted to marry,
and you are that man, Carnac. You wouldn't ask me, so I made you marry
me. You could go farther and fare worse. Come, take me home--take me
home, my love. I want you to love me."

"You little devil!" Carnac declared. "I'd rather cut my own throat. I'm
going to have a divorce. I'm going to teach you and the others a lesson
you won't forget."

"There isn't a jury in the United States you could convince after what
you've done. You've made it impossible. Go to Judge Grimshaw and see
what he will say. Go and ask the hotel people and see what they will
say. You're my husband, and I mean you shall live with me, and I'll love
you better than any woman on earth can love you.... Won't you?" She held
out her hand.

With an angry exclamation, Carnac refused it, and then she suddenly
turned on her heel, slipped round a corner and was gone.

Carnac was dumbfounded. He did not know what to do. He went dazedly
home, and slept little that night. The next day he went out to Shipton
and saw Judge Grimshaw and told him the whole tale. The Judge shook his
head.

"It's too tall a story. Why, you went through the ceremony as if it was
the real thing, signed the papers, paid my fee, and kissed the bride.
You could not get a divorce on such evidence. I'm sorry for you, if you
don't want the girl. She's very nice, and 'd make a good wife. What does
she mean to do?"

"I don't know. She left me in the street and went back to her home. I
won't live with her."

"I can't help you anyhow. She has the certificate. You are validly
married. If I were you, I'd let the