“Well,” he said at length, “I suppose that I must come to a decision.  It is a painful matter, very, to a person of modest temperament.  However, I cannot shrink from my duty, and must face it.  Therefore,” he went on with an air of judicial sternness, “therefore, Miss Smithers, I must trouble you to show me this alleged will.  There is a cupboard there,” and he pointed to the corner of the room, “where you can make—­’um—­make the necessary preparations.”

“Oh, it isn’t quite so bad as that,” said Augusta, with a sigh, and she began to remove her jacket.

“Dear me!” he said, observing her movement with alarm, “I suppose she is hardened,” he continued to himself:  “but I dare say one gets used to this sort of thing upon desert islands.”

Meanwhile poor Augusta had got her jacket off.  She was dressed in an evening dress, and had a white silk scarf over her shoulder:  this she removed.

“Oh,” he said, “I see—­in evening dress.  Well, of course, that is quite a different matter.  And so that is the will—­well, I have had some experience, but I never saw or heard of anything like it before.  Signed and attested, but not dated.  Ah! unless,” he added, “the date is lower down.”

“No,” said Augusta, “there is no date; I could not stand any more tattooing.  It was all done at one sitting, and I got faint.”

“I don’t wonder at it, I am sure.  I think it is the bravest thing I ever heard of,” and he bowed with much grace.

“Ah,” muttered Eustace, “he’s beginning to pay compliments now, insidious old hypocrite!”

“Well,” went on the innocent and eminently respectable object of his suspicions, “of course the absence of a date does not invalidate a will—­it is matter for proof, that is all.  But there, I am not in a position to give any opinion about the case; it is quite beyond me, and besides, that is not my business.  But now, Miss Smithers, as you have once put yourself in the custody of the Registry in the capacity of a will, might I ask if you have any suggestion to make as to how you are to be dealt with.  Obviously you cannot be locked up with the other wills, and equally obviously it is against the rules to allow a will to go out of the custody of the Court, unless by special permission of the Court.  Also it is clear that I cannot put any restraint upon the liberty of the subject and order you to remain with me.  Indeed, I doubt if it would be possible to do so by any means short of an Act of Parliament.  Under these circumstances I am, I confess, a little confused as to what course should be taken with reference to this important alleged will.”

“What I have to suggest, Sir,” said Mr. Short, “is that a certified copy of the will should be filed, and that there should be a special paragraph inserted in the affidavit of scripts detailing the circumstances.”

“Ah,” said the learned Doctor, polishing his eye-glasses, “you have given me an idea.  With Miss Smithers’ consent we will file something better than a certified copy of the will—­we will file a photographic copy.  The inconvenience to Miss Smithers will be trifling, and it may prevent questions being raised hereafter.”