“But the will provides for a six months’ courtship, Dr. Browne, I’m sorry to say.  You might learn to love a person in less time and still retain your mental balance, you know, especially if she were pretty and an heiress to half your own fortune.  I daresay that is what they were thinking about.”

“Thinking?  They weren’t thinking of anything at all.  They weren’t capable.  Why didn’t they consider the possibility that things might turn out just as they have?”

“Possibly they did consider it, my boy.  It looks to me as if they did not care a rap whether it went to their blood relatives or to the islanders.  I fancy of the two they loved the islanders more.  At any rate, they left a beautiful opening for the very complications which now conspire to give the natives their own, after all.  There may be some sort of method in their badness.  More than likely they concluded to let luck decide the matter.”

“Well, I guess it has, all right.”

“Don’t lose heart.  It’s worth fighting for even if you lose.  I’d hate to see those islanders get all of it, even if you two can’t marry each other.  I’ve thought it over pretty thoroughly and I’ve reached a conclusion.  It’s necessary for both of you to be on the ground according to schedule.  You must go to the island, wife or no wife, and there’s not much time to be lost.  Lady Deppingham won’t let the grass grow under her feet if I know anything about the needs of English nobility, and I’ll bet my hat she’s packing her trunks now for a long stay in Japat.  You have farther to go than she, but you must get over there inside of sixty days.  I daresay your practice can take care of itself,” ironically.  Browne nodded cheerfully.  “You can’t tell what may happen in the next six months.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s possible that you may become a widower and she a wid—­”

“Good heaven, Judge Garrett!  Impossible!” gasped Bobby Browne, clutching the arms of his chair.

“Nothing is impossible, my boy—­”

“Well, if that’s what you’re counting on you can count me out, I won’t speculate on my wife’s death.”

“But, man, suppose that it did happen!” roared the judge irascibly.  “You should be prepared for the best—­I mean the worst.  Don’t look like a sick dog.  We’ve got to watch every corner, that’s all, and be Johnny-on-the-spot when the time comes.  You go to the island at once.  Take your wife along if you like.  You’ll find her ladyship there, and she’ll need a woman to tell her troubles to.  I’ll have the papers ready for you to sign in three days, and I don’t think we’ll have any trouble getting the British heirs to join in the suit to overthrow the will.  The only point is this:  the islanders must not have the advantage that your absence from Japat will give to them.  Now, I’ll——­”

“But, good Lord, Judge Garrett, I can’t go to that confounded island,” wailed Browne.  “Take my wife over among those heathenish——­”