of the Valley House party and their credulous superstition.

"Every man Jack and every woman Jill of the lot believe in that crystal
and clairvoyant nonsense!" he laughed. "I mentioned it for fun, but I
went on simply to 'pull their legs.' I hope you don't mind having the
Countess down, do you, child? Of course, I made it out to be a favour
that so wonderful a being should consent to come at call. But between us,
Anita, the poor woman will fall over herself with joy. She's a restless,
lonely creature, who has drifted about the world without stopping
anywhere long enough to make friends, and I have a notion that her
heart's desire is to 'get into society' in England. This will give her a
chance, because these good ladies and gentlemen who are dying to see what
she's like, and persuade her to tell their pasts and futures, are at the
top of the tree. It's a cheap way for us to make her happy--and we can
afford it."

"Don't you believe she really is clairvoyant, and sees things in her
crystal?" Annesley ventured.

It was then that Knight made her heart beat by answering with a question.
"Didn't you read in the newspapers about the queer thing that happened
on board the _Monarchic_?"

"Ye-es, I _did_ read it," the girl said, in so stifled a voice that the
reply became a confession.

"Why didn't you tell me so?"

"Because--the day I heard you were on the _Monarchic_, I couldn't
remember what I'd read. It was vague in my mind----"

"No other reason?"

"Only that--that--I fancied----"

"You fancied I didn't like to talk about the _Monarchic_?"

"Well, when the Countess spoke of it, you looked--cross."

"I was cross. But only with the _way_ she spoke--as if she and I had come
over together because we were pals. That's all. Though I've every cause
to hate the memory of that trip! When did you remember what you had read
in the newspapers?"

"Only this evening."

"I thought so! At dinner. I saw a look come over your face."

"I didn't know you noticed me."

"I'm always noticing you. And I was proud of you to-night. Well! You
remembered----"

"About a man on board being robbed, and a lady--an 'amateur
clairvoyante,' seeing things in a crystal. I thought it must have been
the Countess de Santiago."

"It was, though her name was kept out of the papers by her request. She's
sensitive about the clairvoyance stuff: afraid people may consider her a
professional, and look down on her from patronizing social heights. Of