on the
following morning--filled with the hope that that day might see the
matter decided one way or the other.

As soon as the Judge had come in, Augusta resumed her place in the
witness-box, and the Attorney-General rose to cross-examine her.

"You told the Court, Miss Smithers, at the conclusion of your evidence,
that you are now engaged to be married to Mr. Meeson, the plaintiff.
Now, I am sorry to have to put a personal question to you, but I must
ask you--Were you at the time of the tattooing of the will, in love with
Mr. Meeson?"

This was a home-thrust, and poor Augusta coloured up beneath it; however,
her native wit came to her aid.

"If you will define, Sir, what being in love is, I will do my best to
answer your question," she said. Whereat the audience, including his
Lordship, smiled.

The Attorney-General looked puzzled, as well he might; for there are some
things which are beyond the learning of even an Attorney-General.

"Well," he said, "were you matrimonially inclined towards Mr. Meeson?"

"Surely, Mr. Attorney-General," said the Judge, "the one thing does not
necessarily include the other?"

"I bow to your Lordship's experience," said Mr. Attorney, tartly.
"Perhaps I had better put my question in this way--Had you, at any time,
any prospect of becoming engaged to Mr. Meeson?"

"None whatever."

"Did you submit to this tattooing, which must have been painful, with a
view of becoming engaged to the plaintiff?"

"Certainly not. I may point out," she added, with hesitation, "that such
a disfigurement is not likely to add to anybody's attractions."

"Please answer my questions, Miss Smithers, and do not comment on them.
How did you come, then, to submit yourself to such a disagreeable
operation?"

"I submitted to it because I thought it right to do so, there being no
other apparent means at hand of attaining the late Mr. Meeson's end.
Also"--and she paused.

"Also what?"

"Also I had a regard for Mr. Eustace Meeson, and I knew that he had lost
his inheritance through a quarrel about myself."

"Ah! now we are coming to it. Then you were tattooed out of regard for
the plaintiff, and not purely in the interests of justice?"

"Yes; I suppose so."

"Well, Mr. Attorney," interposed the Judge, "and what if she was?"

"My object, my Lord, was to show that this young lady was not the purely
impassive medium in this matter that my learned friend, Mr. Short, would
lead the Court to believe. Sh