ain, and she burst into tears.

* * * * *

She controlled them as soon as possible, for she strongly dissented from
the old-fashioned idea that a good cry was consoling. On the contrary,
she thought that the headache and unbecoming traces of emotion that
followed tears had a particularly depressing effect, and left one with
nerves. She resolved to dismiss the subject for the moment, anyhow, and
to go to Vera's in the afternoon to meet Madame Zero and two or three of
Vera's most favoured and intimate friends.

CHAPTER XX

ZERO, THE SOOTHSAYER

Mrs. Ogilvie looked more Egyptian than ever to-day. She always dressed
for her parts; and as a believer in the Unseen, she felt it right, in
honour of the sibyl, to wear her hair very low, with some green pins in
it, long earrings, and a flowing gown, with Japanese sleeves.

"Vera, you're almost in fancy dress," said Felicity, as she arrived.
"It's very becoming; but why?"

"Am I, dear? Well, it's as a sort of compliment to this wonderful girl.
I've been draping the little boudoir with gold embroideries--and burning
joss-sticks, too (though they give me a headache). I thought it would
bring out her gift--make her feel more at home, you know."

"Good gracious, is she an Algerian or an Indian or anything?"

"Oh dear no, darling. Of course not. She's a Highlander, that's all. It
runs in her family. To know things that haven't happened, I mean."

"But that _will_ happen?"

"I hope so, I'm sure. She's in there," said Vera, pointing to a beaded
curtain, that concealed the small drawing-room. "She's gazing into the
crystal for Bob Henderson. You shall go next, darling."

"I should have imagined Captain Henderson the very last person in the
world to dabble in the occult, as they call it in the newspapers. I
should have thought he would laugh at superstition."

"Oh, so he does, dear, but he wants to know what's going to win the
Derby."

"From all I've heard about racing," said Felicity, "if he wants to know
that, he'd better wait till it's run."

"Oh, Felicity, don't cast a sort of damper on the thing before him!
Perhaps he'll be converted. He may take it quite seriously now. It would
do him good, he's so matter-of-fact."

At this moment a very loud and hearty laugh was heard, and Captain
Henderson appeared through the beaded curtain and joined them.

"What a long time you've been," said Vera.

"She's a pretty girl," said Captain