“I thank your Lordship,” she said, with a little bow; “but there would still be so many left that I do not think that it would greatly matter.  I hope that everybody will understand my position, and extend their consideration to me.”

“Very well,” said the Judge, and without further ado she took off the cloak, and the silk handkerchief beneath it, and stood before the court dressed in a low black dress.

“I am afraid that I must ask you to come up here,” said his Lordship.  Accordingly she walked round, mounted the bench, and then turned her back to the Judge, in order that he might examine what was written on it.  This he did very carefully with the aid of a magnifying glass, referring now and again to the photographic copy which Doctor Probate had filed in the Registry.

“Thank you,” he said presently, “that will do.  I am afraid that the learned counsel below will wish to have an opportunity of inspection.”

So Augusta had to descend and slowly walk along the ranks, stopping before every learned leader to be carefully examined, while hundreds of eager eyes in the background were fixed upon her unfortunate neck.  However, at last it came to an end.

“That will do, Miss Smithers,” said the Judge, for whose consideration she felt deeply grateful; “you can put on your cloak again now.”  Accordingly she did so and re-entered the box.

“The document which you have just shown the Court, Miss Smithers,” said James, “is the one which was executed upon you in Kerguelen Land on or about the 22nd day of December last year?”

“It is.”

“It was, I understand, executed in the presence of the testator and the two attesting witnesses, all three being present together, and the signature of each being tattooed in the presence of the other?”

“It was.”

“Was the testator, so far as you could judge, at the time of the dictation and execution of the will, of sound mind, memory, and understanding?”

“Most certainly he was.”

“Did you, beyond the suggestions of which you have already given evidence, in any way unduly influence the testator’s mind, so as to induce him to make this will?”

“I did not.”

“And to those facts you swear?”

“I do.”

Then he passed on to the history of the death of the two sailors who had attested the will, and to the account of Augusta’s ultimate rescue, finally closing his examination-in-chief just as the clock struck four, whereon the Court adjourned till the following day.

As may be imagined, though things had gone fairly well so far, nobody concerned of our party passed an over-comfortable night.  The strain was too great to admit of it; and really they were all glad to find themselves in the court—­which was, if possible, even more crowded on the following morning—­filled with the hope that that day might see the matter decided one way or the other.