“Yes, Mr. Saunders, you may proceed,” said Lady Agnes, passing a hand over her bewildered eyes.

“Thank you, my lady.  Well, here it is in a nutshell:  I have not spoken of it before, but you and Mr. Browne can very easily comply with the provisions of the will.  You can be married at any time.  Now, I—­”

“And where do I come in?” demanded Deppingham, sarcastically.

“Yes, and I?” added Mrs. Browne.  “You forget us, Mr. Saunders.”

“I include Mrs. Browne,” amended Deppingham.  “Are we to be assassinated?  By Jove, clever idea of yours, Saunders.  Simplifies matters tremendously.”

“I hear no objection from the heirs,” remarked Saunders, meaningly.  Whereupon Lady Agnes and Bobby came out of their stupor and protested vigorously.

“Miss Pelham,” said Britt, breaking in sharply, “I trust you are getting all of this down.  I wish to warn you, ladies and gentlemen, that I expect to overthrow the will on the ground that there is insanity on both sides.  You’ll oblige me by uttering just what you feel.”

“Why, this is perfectly ridiculous,” cried Lady Agnes.  “Our souls are not our own.”

“Your minds are the only things I am interested in,” said Britt calmly.

“My plan is very simple—­” began Saunders helplessly.

“Demmed simple,” growled Deppingham.

“We are living on an island where polygamy is practised and tolerated.  Why can’t we take advantage of the custom and beat the natives at their own game?  That’s the ticket!”

Of course, this proposition, simple as it sounded, brought forth a storm of laughter and expostulation, but Saunders held his ground.  He listened to a dozen jeering remarks in patient dignity, and then got the floor once more.

“You have only to embrace Mohammedanism or Paganism, or whatever it is, temporarily.  Just long enough to get married and comply with the terms.  Then, I daresay, you could resume your Christian doctrine once more, after a few weeks, I’d say, and the case is won.”

“I pay Lady Deppingham the compliment by saying that it would be most difficult for me to become a Christian again,” said Browne smoothly, bowing to the flushed Englishwoman.

“How very sweet of you,” she said, with a grimace which made Drusilla shiver with annoyance.

“You don’t need to live together, of course,” floundered Saunders, getting rather beyond his depth.

“Well, that’s a concession on your part,” said Mrs. Browne, a flash in her eye.

“I never heard of such an asinine proposition,” sputtered Deppingham.  Saunders went completely under at that.

“On the other hand,” he hastened to remark, “I’m sure it would be quite legal if you did live to——­”

“Stop him, for heaven’s sake,” screamed Lady Agnes, bursting into uncontrollable laughter.

“Stop him?  Why?” demanded her husband, suddenly seeing what he regarded as a rare joke.  “Let’s hear him out.  By Jove, there’s more to it than I thought.  Go on, Saunders.”