One thing was clear to them all,--that she and her child must be taken away from Folking.

Her continued residence there would be a continuation of the horror.

The man was not her husband.

Not one of them was inspired by a feeling of mercy to allege that, in spite of all that they had heard, he still might be her husband.

Even Mrs.Robert, who had been most in favour of the Caldigate marriage, did not doubt for an instant.