. Six or seven jabs with a long
knife is the most approved way, isn't it, Britt?"

"Imagine Lady Deppingham going to the altar all covered with gore!" said
Britt.

"Saunders," said Deppingham, arising and lighting a fresh cigarette,
"you have gone clean daft. You're loony with love. You've got marriage
on the brain. I'd advise you to take some one for it,"

"Do you mean that for me. Lord Deppingham?" demanded Miss Pelham
sharply. She glared at him and then slammed her note book on the table.
"You can josh Mr. Saunders, but you can't josh me. I'm sick of this job.
Get somebody else to do your work after this. I'm through."

"Oh!" exclaimed every one in a panic. It took nearly ten minutes to
pacify the ruffled stenographer. She finally resumed her place at the
table, but her chin was in the air and she turned the pages with a
vehemence that left nothing to the imagination.

"I can arrange everything, my lady, so that the ceremony will be
regular," pleaded the unhappy Saunders. "You have only to go through the
form--"

"But what kind of a form does she follow in stabbing me to mincemeat?
That's the main law point," said Deppingham. "You seem to forget that I
am still alive."

"Perhaps we could arrange for a divorce all round," cried Saunders,
suddenly inspired.

"On what grounds?" laughed Browne.

"Give me time," said the lawyer.

"It's barely possible that there is no divorce law in Japat," remarked
Britt, keenly enjoying his confrere's misery.

"Are you quite sure?"

"Reasonably. If there was such a law, I'll bet my head two-thirds of the
men in Aratat would be getting rid of wives before night."

Britt, after this remark, sat very still and thoughtful. He was turning
over the divorce idea in his mind. He had ridiculed the polygamy scheme,
but the divorce proposition might be managed.

"I'm tired," said Lady Deppingham suddenly. She yawned and stretched her
arms. "It's been very entertaining, Saunders, but, really, I think we'd
better dress for dinner. Come, Mr. Browne, shall we look for the
Princess?"

"With pleasure, if you'll promise to spare Deppingham's life."

"On condition that you will spare Deppingham's wife," very prettily and
airily. Mrs. Browne laughed with amazing good grace, but there was a new
expression in her eyes.

"Your ladyship," called Saunders desperately, "do you approve of my
plan? It's only a subterfuge--"

"Heartily!" she exclaimed, with one of her rarest laughs. "The onl