"How much of this," said she, "is theory and how much is fact?--for,
William, you always were something of a poet."

"I don't know. A month ago I tried it on your father's footman, and in a
week he'd married a perfectly strange parlor maid."

"Oh, they do such things, anyway," observed Sacharissa, and added,
unconvinced: "Did that tentacle burn blue?"

"It certainly did," said Destyn.

Linda murmured: "I believe in it. Let's issue stock."

"To issue stock is one thing," said Destyn, "to get people to buy it is
another. You and I may believe in Green Mouse, Limited, but the rest of
the world is always from beyond the Mississippi."

"The thing to do," said Linda, "is to prove your theory by practicing on
people. They may not like the idea, but they'll be so grateful, when
happily and unexpectedly married, that they'll buy stock."

"Or give us testimonials," added Sacharissa, "that their bliss was
entirely due to a single dose of Green Mouse, Limited."

"Don't be flippant," said Linda. "Think what William's invention means to
the world! Think of the time it will save young men barking up wrong
trees! Think of the trouble saved--no more doubt, no timidity, no
hesitation, no speculation, no opposition from parents."

"Any of our clients," added Destyn, "can be instantly switched on to a