ng but death could take her away from me. If you were to
carry her by force to Chesterton she would return to Folking on foot
before the day was over. She knows what it is to be a wife. I am not a
bit afraid of her leaving me.' This he was able to say with a high
spirit and an assured voice.

'It is quite out of the question that she should stay with you while
this is going on.'

'Of course she must come away,' said the banker, not looking at the man
whom he now hated as thoroughly as did his wife.

'Consult your own friends, and let her consult hers. They will all tell
you so. Ask Mrs. Babington. Ask your own father.'

'I shall ask no one--but her.'

'Think what her position will be! All the world will at least doubt
whether she be your wife or not.'

'There is one person who will not doubt,--and that is herself.'

'Very good. If it be so, that will be a comfort to you, no doubt. But,
for her sake, while other people doubt, will it not be better that she
should be with her father and mother? Look at it all round.'

'I think it would be better that she should be with me,' replied
Caldigate.

'Even though your former marriage with that other woman were proved?'

'I will not presume that to be possible. Though a jury should so decide,
their decision would be wrong. Such an error could not effect us. I will
not think of such a thing.'

'And you do not perceive that her troubles will be lighter in her
father's house than in yours?'

'Certainly not. To be away from her own house would be such a trouble to
her that she would not endure it unless restrained by force.'

'If you press her, she would go. Cannot you see that it would be better
for her name?'

'Her name is my name,' he said, clenching his fist in his violence, 'and
my name is hers. She can have no good name distinct from me,--no name at
all. She is part and parcel of my very self, and under no circumstances
will I consent that she shall be torn away from me. No word from any
human being shall persuade me to it,--unless it should come from
herself.'

'We can make her,' said the old man.

'No doubt we could get an order from the Court,' said the attorney,
thinking that anything might be fairly said in such an emergency as
this; 'but it will be better that she should come of her own accord, or
by his direction. Are you aware how probable it is that you may be in
prison within a day or two?'

To this Caldigate made no answer, but turned round to l