hisky--soda--two," and fanned himself
vigorously till they came.

"Better?" asked Graeme, as they nodded and drank.

"Heap better! What a demnable place to get into!"

"There are one or two other entrances--"

"Better?"

"No, worse."

"Demn!"

"Now," he said presently, when his heart had got back to normal and he
had lit a cigarette. "Let's talk business. Am I in time?"

"For the wedding? Just in time. It's tomorrow."

"Aw--er--you know what I've come for, I suppose?"

"I can imagine, but you may as well save yourself useless trouble. You
can't do anything."

"Think not?"

"Sure. English--I should say, British--law doesn't run here, and
you've no _locus standi_ if it did."

"She's under age and her guardian objects. I represent him."

"He can object all he wants to, and you can represent him all you
want to. It won't make the slightest difference."

"I can appear at the ceremony and show cause why it should not
proceed."

"What cause?"

"Her guardian objects. The parson would hardly proceed in face of my
objection."

"I think you'll find he would. However, we'll go and ask him
presently. We'll pay a visit to the Seigneur also."

"Who's the Seigneur?"

"Lord Paramount of the island. His word goes. If he chooses, as he
probably will, to tell you to go also, you'll have to go."

"Demn'd if I will!"

"He'll see to that. He'll put the Senechal and the Greffier and the
Prevot and the two constables and the Vingtenier on to you, and bundle
you out like a sack of potatoes."

"Oh, come, Graeme! This is the twentieth century!"

"That's another of your little mistakes, my friend. I can't tell you
just exactly what year it is here, but it's somewhere between 1066
and, say, 1200 A.D."

"Afraid I don't quite catch on."

"Exactly! That's why you'll be off in this scene. We're under feudal
law here, with a mixture of Home Rule. We don't care twopence for your
English courts, and as for English lawyers, they're not much liked
here, I believe."

"Rum hole!" mused Charles Svendt.

"Rum hole to make yourself a nuisance in. Jolly place to be happy in."

"H'm!" And presently he asked, "Where are you stopping?"

"I'll go along and tell the girls you're here--"

"Girls?"

"Miss Penny came with Margaret--"

"Aw--Miss Penny!"

"You'd better have your lunch here. They'll give you lobsters fresh
from the kettle, and I'll stroll round later on and we'll get this
matter settled up. So long!" and he we