"I think she is infinitely above him!" indignantly exclaimed Le.
"In point of honesty, yes; for he is as despicable a miscreant as ever lived; but, still, not likely to have married such a woman. And it may be possible that there was no California marriage at all. Therefore I feel very anxious to get this telegram."
"But, sir, in case this woman who claims to be his wife has been deceived by a false marriage, and she is therefore not his wife, but his victim, and it should follow that the marriage ceremony performed yesterday should be legal----"
"It should not stand!" roared Abel Force, in sudden wrath. "It should be dissolved by law! In no case shall my daughter ever behold the face of that wretch again!"
"De Reberent Dr. Peters, sah, is waitin' to see yer," said Jake, putting his head into the door.
"Then show Dr. Peters into the drawing room, and tell him that I will see him there in a moment."
Mr. Force put away his papers, locked his desk, and arose, saying:
"Come, Le; our suspense will be ended in another minute."
"I have been in painful suspense," answered the young man, as they went up the front hall, and entered the drawing room on the right hand side.
Dr. Peters arose and advanced to meet them.
"Good-morning, reverend sir; I am glad to see you. In one word, now: Have you an answer to your telegram?"
"The marriage certificate shown you is genuine. It corresponds in every particular with the entry of the same date in the parish register of the church of St. Sebastian where the ceremony was performed."
"Thank Heaven! then my daughter is free!" exclaimed Abel Force.
"Here is the telegram--a very lengthy but quite satisfactory one," said the rector, drawing from his pocket a large coil of what looked like white measuring tape.
Abel Force took it and read it aloud. It need not be repeated here. Enough to say that it was conclusive.
"And the scoundrel knew that he had a living wife, when he led my daughter to the altar! Reverend sir, what should a father, in his righteous wrath, do with such a man?" demanded Abel Force, livid with rage.
"Leave him to the divine Providence," reverently replied the rector.
Abel Force ground his teeth; he felt more like becoming a volunteer instrument of the vengeance of divine Providence.