everywhere, there can be no doubt that where in the eyes of
our law the cause is _not_ adequate, our courts would refuse to
recognize it. Have you a copy of the register of divorce as well?"

"No."

"It is unfortunate; but no doubt you can remember the grounds on which
it was granted."

"Incompatibility of temper, and she said I had deserted her. I had left
her the year before. We both agreed to separate."

The lawyer shook his head.

"What's incompatibility?" he said. "What's a year's absence? Nothing in
the eyes of an Englishman. Nothing in the law of this country."

"But the divorce was granted. It was legal. There was no question,"
said Dare, eagerly. "I was divorced in the same State as where I
married. I had lived there more than a year, which was all that was
necessary. No difficulty was made at the time."

"No. Marriage is slipped into and slipped out of again with gratifying
facility in America, and Kansas is notorious for the laxity prevailing
there as regards marriage and divorce. It will be advisable to take the
opinion of counsel on the matter, but I can hold out very little hope
that your divorce would hold good, even in America. You see, you are
entered as a British subject on the marriage register, and I imagine
these words must have been omitted in the divorce proceedings, or some
difficulty would have been raised at the time, unless your residence in
Kansas made it unnecessary. But, even supposing by American law you are
free, that will be of no avail in England, for by the law of England,
which alone concerns you, I regret to be obliged to tell you that you
are incontestably a married man."

And in spite of frantic reiterations, of wild protests on the part of
Dare, as if the compassionate old man represented the English law, and
could mould it at his pleasure, the lawyer's last word remained in
substance the same, though repeated many times.

"Whether you are at liberty or not to marry again in America, I am
hardly prepared to say. I will look into the subject and let you know;
but in England I regret to repeat that you are a married man."

Dare groaned in body and in spirit as the words came back to him; and
his thoughts, shrinking from the despair and misery at home, wandered
aimlessly away, anywhere, hither and thither, afraid to go back, afraid
to face again the desolation that sat so grim and stern in solitary
possession.

The train arrived at Slumberleigh at last, and he got out, a