Wickersham--you know him. And the girl was named Tripper; she might have
called herself 'Phrony' Tripper."

"My dear sir, I cannot undertake to remember the names of all the
persons whom I happen to come in contact with in the performance of my
sacred functions," began Mr. Rimmon. His voice had changed, and a
certain querulousness had crept into it.

"No, I know that," said Keith, calmly; "but you must at least remember
whether within four years you performed a marriage ceremony for a man
whom you know as well as you know Ferdy Wickersham--?"

"Ferdy Wickersham! Why don't you go and ask him?" demanded the other,
suddenly. "You appear to know him quite as well as I, and certainly Mr.
Wickersham knows quite as well as I whether or not he is married. I know
nothing of your reasons for persisting in this investigation. It is
quite irregular, I assure you. I don't know that ever in the course of
my life I knew quite such a case. A clergyman performs many functions
simply as a ministerial official. I should think that the most natural
way of procedure would be to ask Mr. Wickersham."

"Certainly it might be. But whatever my reason may be, I have come to
ask you. As a matter of fact, Mr. Wickersham took this young girl away
from her home. I taught her when she was a school-girl. Her grandfather,
who brought her up, is a friend of mine. I wish to clear her good name.
I have reason to think that she was legally married here in New York,
and that you performed the ceremony, and I came to ask you whether you
did so or not. It is a simple question. You can at least say whether you
did so or did not. I assumed that as a minister you would be glad to
help clear a young woman's good name."

"And I have already answered you," said Mr. Rimmon, who, while Keith was
speaking, had been forming his reply.

Keith flushed.

"Why, you have not answered me at all. If you have, you can certainly
have no objection to doing me the favor of repeating it. Will you do me
the favor to repeat it? Did you or did you not marry Ferdy Wickersham to
a young girl about three years ago?"

"My dear sir, I have told you that I do not recognize your right to
interrogate me in this manner. I know nothing about your authority to
pursue this investigation, and I refuse to continue this conversation
any longer."

"Then you refuse to give me any information whatever?" Keith was now
very angry, and, as usual, very quiet, with a certain line about his
mouth