"I am not your wife. I shall never acknowledge, by word or act, any such relationship toward you," she calmly, but decidedly, responded.
"Oh, yes you will."
"Never!"
"But you have already done so, and there are hundreds of people who can prove it," he answered, hotly, but with an air of triumph.
"It will be a comparatively easy matter to make public a true statement of the case," said the girl, looking him straight in the eyes.
"You will not dare set idle tongues gossiping by repudiating our union!" exclaimed the young man, fiercely.
"I should dare anything that would set me free from you," was the dauntless response.
Her companion gnashed his teeth with rage.
"You would find very few who would believe your statements," he said; "for, besides the fact that hundreds witnessed the ceremony last night, the papers have published full accounts of the affair, and the whole city now knows about it."
"I know it—I have read the papers," said Edith, without appearing in the least disconcerted.