"I can understand that," he said drily. "Can I help you, Miss Lois?"
"Perhaps I can help myself, by helping you. Mr. Truggles, aren't you trying to stop Blan from keeping more than one wife?"
"I am, indeed. I expect to seek an indictment against him on bigamy charges."
"You won't succeed. He'll just sue you for false arrest, and ruin you. You don't think Blan would overlook something like that, do you? None of the girls would admit they lived with him as his wives. I wouldn't either, if it would hurt Blan."
Truggles was taken aback. After a moment, he asked: "What did you have in mind?"
"Nothing. But I thought if I could help you persuade him—as the wife who's been with him longest, I'd be the one to stay, wouldn't I?"
Thinking of an unknown number of others who might have been sent away previously, Truggles was inclined to doubt it. But he would not let such an opinion interfere with this opportunity.
"Probably," he said. "Will you help me if I promise to take no legal action against Forsythe?"
"What do you want me to do?" she asked.
"You say you're free to come and go as you please?"