“We shall sail for England in ten days,” said Mr. Force, “and with this complete evidence of the Californian marriage in our possession we will, on our arrival in the old country, seek out authentic evidence of the exact date of Lady Mary Anglesea’s demise, which I fully believe to have occurred in the August of some year previous to that of Col. Anglesea’s marriage with the Widow Wright. When we shall find such evidence, as I feel sure we shall, then there will be nothing wanting to prove that Ann Maria Anglesea is the lawful wife of Angus Anglesea, and that Odalite Force is, and has always been, free, and there need be nothing to prevent your immediate union, my dear children.”
“May Heaven speed the day!” earnestly aspirated Le.
Much more was said on the subject that need not be repeated here.
Preparations for their voyage had been so long and systematically in progress that the Forces had perfect leisure in the last week of their stay at home.
The last day was devoted to the friends they were about to leave behind.
They started early on the morning of the twenty-third of May, and made a round of farewell visits to all their old neighbors.
The last call they made was at Forest Rest, to take leave of Miss Sibby Bayard.
“So you are ralely a-going to cross the high seas? I hardly believed it on you, Abel Force!” she said, as she shook hands in turn with Mr. and Mrs. Force, Le and the three girls, and gave them seats. “I thought as you had more sense, Abel Force! I did that! Them as has the least to do with the sea, sez I, comes the best off, sez I!”
“But, my good lady, necessity has no law, you know. We are obliged to go,” laughed Mr. Force.
“What have you been up and doing of, old Abel, that you are obliged to run away from your own native country? Nobody but outlaws, sez I, is obliged to go off to furrin parts, sez I!”