rkes, are you
not?"

Harry looked uncomfortable.

"Yes, sir."

"Well, let me inform you, Mr. Parkes," said the lawyer grimly, "that any
marriage ceremony with Miss Marsh, without the consent of her uncle,
will not only be illegal, but it will also render you liable to
imprisonment for contempt of court."

"What!" cried Harry frightened. "Imprisonment!"

"Precisely!" rejoined the lawyer, "and I now notify you that until these
gentlemen have decided whether Miss Marsh is competent to enter into a
marital engagement, contract, or promise, any such engagement, contract,
or promise is null and void and can in no way or manner become the basis
for any legal action on your part. I think that will be about all." He
coughed and looked around for admiration.

"There is no promise," gasped Harry terrified; "no engagement--nothing."

"No, sir," exclaimed Mrs. Parkes, with a low curtsy. "Indeed, there
isn't."

"A very sensible way to look at it," replied the lawyer with a grim
smile of satisfaction, "and now, my good lady, please tell Miss Marsh
that we are waiting for her."

Jimmy Marsh came forward, his manner fidgetty and nervous.

"Perhaps my niece may not be quite prepared," he stammered. "In that
case you will tell her that we will wait for her."

"Quite so," chimed in Cooley. "That is--we'll wait a reasonable time."

"We'll be very gentle with her," added Jimmy considerately.

"Very well, sir," said Mrs. Parkes, now thoroughly cowed. She crossed
the room and knocked at Paula's door. Receiving no answer, she knocked
again. At last a voice called out:

"Who's there?"

"It's only me, dear--Mrs. Parkes."

There was the sharp click of a key being turned. The door was opened
cautiously. The landlady went in and the door slammed to again.

"And now, young man," said Mr. Cooley, who had watched the proceedings
without comment. "If you will kindly withdraw we shall all regard your
absence most favorably."

Thoroughly intimidated by the lawyer's domineering manner, Harry went
sheepishly towards the door. As he reached the threshold he turned and
said timidly:

"Of course you understand, sir, that there is no engagement of any
sort--there never was."

With a gesture the lawyer waved him to be gone.

"That's all right," he said disdainfully.

As he disappeared the lawyer turned to see what the commission was
doing. All the doctors were busy. Dr. McMutrie was deeply engrossed in
the reading of a voluminous re