ey--Julian left you enough to live on. You had no children, no
responsibilities. You were in splendid health and very beautiful. What
was in your mind most of the time? How did you get that idea of adopting
a child in France? It must have come gradually. How did it come? _Why_
did it come?"

"Because I was--lonely."

"Is that all? Think!"

There was silence.

"Why did you dance so much during those four years?"

"I like dancing. It's good exercise."

"And all those allurements of dress--clinging skirts, low-cut waists, no
corsets--why was that?"

"I hate corsets. I don't need them. I can't breathe in corsets."

"And those insidious perfumes?"

"I don't see what that has to do with it."

"Those are little indications. But take the main point, your desire to
have a child--of your own. Do you really love children, Pen? Have you
ever shown that you do? Did you try to have children when you were
married?"

"Not _his_ children! God forbid!"

Seraphine hesitated as if dreading to wound her friend.

"I must go on, dear. We must get to the bottom of this. Suppose you had
done what you intended to do? And had come back to America with an
adopted child? And suppose no one had ever known the truth, about it--do
you think you would have been happy?"

Penelope sighed wearily.

"Is a woman ever happy?"

"Wait! Let us take one point. You have always loved men's society,
haven't you? That's natural, they're all crazy about you. Well, do you
think that would have changed just because you had a child? Do you?"

"No--no, I suppose not."

"You would have been just as beautiful. You would have gone on wearing
expensive clothes, wouldn't you? You would have kept up the old round of
teas and dinners, theatres, dances, late suppers--with a train of men
dangling after you--flirting men, married men--men who try to kiss women
in taxicabs--you know what I mean?"

Penelope bit her red lips at this sordid picture.

"No," she said, "I don't think I would have done that. I would have
changed, I intended to change. That was why I wanted a child--to give me
something worthy of my love, something to serve as an outlet for my
emotions."

The medium's eyes were unfathomably sad and yearning.

"Is that true, Pen? A child calls for ceaseless care--unselfishness. You
know that? Did you really long for a child in a spirit of unselfish
love? Did you?"

But Penelope was deaf to this touching appeal.

"Certainly," she answered sha