"Why not?" he asked quickly. "Miss Nuttall has probably been detained by the traffic or a burst tire. She will be here very shortly." The minister shook his head and hung up his white surplice in the cupboard. "The law of the land, my dear Mr. Merrill," he said, "does not allow weddings after three in the afternoon. You can come along to-morrow morning any time after eight." There was a tap at the door, and Frank swung round. It was not the girl, but a telegraph boy. He snatched the buff envelope from the lad's hand and tore it open. It read simply: The wedding cannot take place. It was unsigned. At two-fifteen that afternoon May had passed through the vestibule of the hotel, and her foot was on the step of the taxicab when a hand fell upon her arm, and she turned in alarm to meet the searching eyes of Jasper Cole. "Where are you off to in such a hurry, May?" She flushed and drew her arm away with a decisive gesture. "I have nothing to say to you, Jasper," she said coldly. "After your horrible charge against Frank, I never want to speak to you again." He winced a little, then smiled. "At least you can be civil to an old friend," he said good-humoredly, "and tell me where you are off to in such a hurry." Should she tell him? A moment's indecision, and then she spoke. "I am going to marry Frank Merrill," she said. He nodded. "I thought as much. In that case, I am coming down to the church to make a scene." He said this with a smile on his lips; but there was no mistaking the resolution which showed in the thrust of his square jaw. "What do you mean?" she said. "Don't be absurd, Jasper. My mind is made up." "I mean," he said quietly, "that I have Mr. Minute's power of attorney to act for him, and Mr. Minute happens to be your legal guardian. You are, in point of fact, my dear May, more or less of a ward, and you cannot marry before you are twenty-one without your guardian's consent." "I shall be twenty-one next week," she said defiantly. "Then," smiled the other, "wait till next week before you marry. There is no very pressing hurry." "You forced this situation upon me," said the girl hotly, "and I think it is very horrid of you. I am going to marry Frank to-day." "Under those circumstances, I must come down and forbid the marriage; and when our parson asks if there is any just cause I shall step forward to the rails, gayly flourishing the power of attorney, and not even the most hardened parson could continue in the face of that legal instrument. It is a mandamus, a caveat, and all sorts of horrific things." "Why are you doing this?" she asked. "Because I have no desire that you shall marry a man who is certainly a forger, and possibly a murderer," said Jasper Cole calmly. "I won't listen to you!" she cried, and stepped into the waiting taxicab. Without a word, Jasper followed her.