“And why might it not, then? That is what I want to know. There’s no lawful impediment why them two mightn’t be made one right off! My scamp can’t have any claim on her to hinder of it! Good Lord! No! I should think not! When here I am his lawful wife, alive, and likely to live! And a man can’t have two wives, in this State, at least! So why can’t them young uns be married, and made happy right away?”
“I wish it could be done; but I feel sure that it could not.”
“But why, in the name o’ common sense?”
“Because neither Mr. nor Mrs. Force would entertain such a plan for a moment. They would consider it indelicate and undignified in all parties concerned to marry their daughter to any other suitor, even though that suitor were Mr. Leonidas Force, so soon after the breaking off of her marriage ceremony with her late bridegroom-expectant,” replied Natalie.
“Fiddle-faddle!” exclaimed the lady from Wild Cats’. “I think it is hard enough for poor human natur’ to keep the commandments of the Lord and the laws of the land without having to be bound by a passel of fiddle-faddle fancies!”
“My private opinion is,” said Natalie, “that the young couple will yet marry; but not until he shall return from his next voyage. And they are both young enough to wait.”
CHAPTER XLVII
LEONIDAS LEAVES MONDREER
“Aunty,” said Leonidas, taking the hand of Odalite, and leading her up to Mrs. Force, who stood before the grand piano, putting away the sheets of music before closing the instrument—“aunty, dear, I am not going away to-morrow.”