“He is come to tout for a job,” was the comment of Mr. Wingfield upon this incident. “Tell him to send in his estimate, and we’ll consider it with the others. Like his cheek to write ‘_Most important_’ on his card.” “I cannot understand what he means,” said Priscilla. “Surely he does not hope to persuade me that a judge of a civil court has no authority to pronounce a decree of nullity!” “You never can tell,” said Jack. And then the clergyman entered. He was in a state of great agitation, and Priscilla believed that tears were in his eyes. He went toward her with both hands extended. “My poor girl--my poor Priscilla!” he cried. “I am to blame--I only am to blame. Such a thing has happened before, but only once, I believe, during the past twenty years.” “What has happened, Mr. Possnett?” she enquired. “Are you quite sure that you are to blame?” “Yes, that’s the question,” said Jack, who did not know when to keep silent. “No, no; it was my fault. I should have made more ample enquiries; but I was in a hurry, and I never dreamt that he was not all right,” cried Mr. Possnett. “Do you mean about Mr. Sylvanus Purview?” said Priscilla. “If so, we know all about him; he is in prison. We saw him there some time ago.” “What, you are aware that he was an impostor--that he had forged his ordination papers--that he had never been a priest in holy orders?” “We heard nothing of that,” said Priscilla. “Major Crosbie heard nothing of it either, I’m sure. He told us that the man was of superior education, and had been sentenced to imprisonment for forgery, but it was in connection with a bond.” “No one could have told you about his fraud upon me, for he only confessed to me yesterday,” said Mr. Possnett. “He had expressed a desire to the chaplain to see me, and the Governor wrote to me--a cautious letter--mentioning this fact. Of course I went to the prison, and I saw the unfortunate man. He seemed to me to be truly contrite--the chaplain is well known for a zealous preacher. The man’s right name is Samuel Prosser, and he lived in Australia. He was at Melbourne College, and he had a remarkable career in New South Wales. He came to me from a London agency, bearing, as I thought, satisfactory credentials for a _locum tenens_. He had forged every one of them. He confessed it to me. I believe he would have done so even if he had not seen you at the prison, and heard your story from the chaplain. But I shall never forgive myself--never! Happily yours was the only marriage he celebrated. The usual procedure in such a case is to take legal steps to have all marriages celebrated by a man who, though unqualified, is accepted _bona fide_ by the contracting parties as an authorized clergyman, pronounced valid--it has been resorted to more than once; but in this case----” “I don’t think we’ll go to that expense,” said Jack. “At least, my wife and I will talk the matter over first.”