“It was no marriage,” I said, with a confidence I was far from feeling.

“In the sight of God,” he replied excitedly, “we took each other for man and wife.”

I had to hold him down in bed.

“You are too weak to stand, man,” I said, “and yet you think you could start off this minute for the Spittal.”

“I must go,” he cried.  “She is my wife.  That impious marriage may have taken place already.”

“Oh, that it had!” was my prayer.  “It has not,” I said to him.  “A cannon is to be fired immediately after the ceremony, and all the glen will hear it.”  I spoke on the impulse, thinking to allay his desire to be off; but he said, “Then I may yet be in time.”  Somewhat cruelly I let him rise, that he might realize his weakness.  Every bone in him cried out at his first step, and he sank into a chair.

“You will go to the Spittal for me?” he implored.

“I will not,” I told him.  “You are asking me to fling away my life.”

To prove my words I opened the door, and he saw what the flood was doing.  Nevertheless, he rose and tottered several times across the room, trying to revive his strength.  Though every bit of him was aching, I saw that he would make the attempt.

“Listen to me,” I said.  “Lord Rintoul can maintain with some reason that it was you rather than he who abducted Babbie.  Nevertheless, there will not, I am convinced, be any marriage at the Spittal to-day, When he carried her off from the Toad’s-hole, he acted under impulses not dissimilar to those that took you to it.  Then, I doubt not, he thought possession was all the law, but that scene on the hill has staggered him by this morning.  Even though she thinks to save you by marrying him, he will defer his wedding until he learns the import of yours.”

I did not believe in my own reasoning, but I would have said anything to detain him until that cannon was fired.  He seemed to read my purpose, for he pushed my arguments from him with his hands, and continued to walk painfully to and fro.

“To defer the wedding,” he said, “would be to tell all his friends of her gypsy origin, and of me.  He will risk much to avoid that.”

“In any case,” I answered, “you must now give some thought to those you have forgotten, your mother and your church.”

“That must come afterwards,” he said firmly.  “My first duty is to my wife.”

The door swung to sharply just then, and he started.  He thought it was the cannon.

“I wish to God it had been!” I cried, interpreting his thoughts.

“Why do you wish me ill?” he asked.