called, quite plausibly, an adventurer. Well, propounding that will, how
should I stand before the world and, if necessary (he shrugged his
shoulders), the Court?"

Mary sat silent for a moment or two. Beaumaroy knelt down by the fire,
rearranged the logs of wood which were smouldering there, and put on a
couple more. From that position, looking into the grate, he added,
"And the change of doctors? It was he, of course, who insisted on it,
but I can see a clever lawyer using that against me too. Can't you,
Dr. Arkroyd?"

"I'm sure I wish you hadn't had to make the change!" exclaimed Mary.

"So do I; though, mind you, I'm not pretending that Irechester is a
favorite of mine, any more than he is of my old friend's. Still, there it
is. I've no right, perhaps, to press my question, but your opinion would
be of real value to me."

"I see no reason to think that he's not quite competent to make a will,"
said Doctor Mary. "And no real reason why he shouldn't prefer you to
distant relations whom he dislikes."

"Ah, no real reason; that's what you say! You mean that people would
impute--"

Mary Arkroyd had her limitations--of experience, of knowledge, of
intuition. But she did not lack courage.

"I have given you my professional opinion. It is that, so far as I see,
Mr. Saffron is of perfectly sound understanding, and capable of making a