“Leonidas, let me put a possible case. Suppose that when Anglesea married the Californian widow he had an invalid wife living at the time in England. Then the marriage with the Californian would have been of no effect. Suppose, in the interim between the ceremony performed in the church at St. Sebastian and this performed at All Faith Church, the invalid wife had died—then the last marriage would be legal and binding.”
“Oh, Aunt Elfrida. Why do you suppose such dreadful conditions?” exclaimed the youth.
“Because, my poor boy, I have reason to believe them to be the true conditions,” sorrowfully replied the lady.
The youth sprang up and walked the floor in great excitement.
“What reasons have you for thinking as you do?” he at length demanded.
“I cannot tell you now, dear boy.”
“But you do not know this to be the case? You only think so?” he questioned.
“No, I do not know it; because I cannot rely upon the truthfulness of my informant, nor on the genuineness of the evidence offered.”
“Who was your informant, Aunt Elfrida?”
“I cannot tell you, Le.”