thy when he saw the respectable George in such company could
scarcely be expressed in words.

"Why boar! Well I never! Is she a furriner?" he ejaculated in
astonishment.

"If you mean me," said Edithia, who was by now in fine bellicose
condition, "I'm no more foreign than you are. Shut up, can't you?
or----" and she took a step towards the stout station-master. He
retreated precipitately, caught his heel against the threshold of the
booking office and vanished backwards with a crash.

"Steady, marm, steady," said George. "Save it up now, do, and as for
you, don't you irritate her none of yer, or I won't answer for the
consequences, for she's an injured woman she is, and injured women is
apt to be dangerous."

It chanced that a fly which had brought somebody to the station was
still standing there. George bundled his fair charge into it, telling
the driver to go to the Sessions House.

"Now, marm," he said, "listen to me; I'm a-going to take you to the
man as hev wronged you. He's sitting as clerk to the magistrates. Do
you go up and call him your husband. Thin he'll tell the policeman to
take you away. Thin do you sing out for justice, because when people
sings out for justice everybody's bound to hearken, and say how as you
wants a warrant agin him for bigamy, and show them the marriage lines.
Don't you be put down, and don't you spare him. If you don't startle
him you'll niver get northing out of him."

"Spare him," she snarled; "not I. I'll have his blood. But look here,
if he's put in chokey, where's the tin to come from?"

"Why, marm," answered George with splendid mendacity, "it's the best
thing that can happen for you, for if they collar him you git the
property, and that's law."

"Oh," she answered, "if I'd known that he'd have been collared long
ago, I can tell you."

"Come," said George, seeing that they were nearing their destination.
"Hev one more nip just to keep your spirits up," and he produced the
brandy bottle, at which she took a long pull.

"Now," he said, "go for him like a wild cat."

"Never you fear," she said.

They got out of the cab and entered the Sessions House without
attracting any particular notice. The court itself was crowded, for a
case which had excited public interest was coming to a conclusion. The
jury had given their verdict, and sentence was being pronounced by Mr.
de la Molle, the chairman.

Mr. Quest was sitting at his table below the bench taking some notes.