I Forbid the Banns! — page 384: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

374 “Tl FORBID THE BANNS!” “T mentioned to Mr. Secretary just now that I had received a threatening letter—of course that was not true,”’ said Sir Ecroyd. ‘Of course,” said Tracey. Again there was a pause. Sir Ecroyd wondered if it was regarded as a matter of course that a statement made by a cabinet minister was false. “T am greatly interested in this lady—she is a young woman,” “Of course, Sir Ecroyd—of course.”’ The assent was very emphatic this time, as if the detective deprecated the bare suggestion that he should assume that the lady was otherwise than young. ‘“Yes,’’ said the minister. ‘She is young. She has a husband.”’ ‘“ Of course, Sir Ecroyd—of course—of course.” The assent was even more emphatic than before. Sir Ecroyd wondered if all the world assumed that it was a matter of course that a cabinet minister should be inter- ested in a woman—that that woman should be young, and that it was quite inevitable that that young woman should have a husband. “She has a husband, but she separated from him this morning.’ ‘Of co——” “And I am anxious to know where she has gone, and also that her husband should not have this information.” é¢ CD free “And, consequently, I have sent for you to manage it all forme. Her name is Mrs. Charlton. She has a great deal of money of her own. This is her likeness.” Sir Ecroyd took out of his breast pocket a case contain- ing a beautifully finished miniature portrait on ivory of Bertha. It had been painted to his order from a photo- graph taken in accordance with his instructions by one of Gomichbooksrco