venture to suppose,
come to consult me, I have inherited the great gifts which made Count
Cagliostro famous." She waited a moment. "What is it you desire of me?
Do you wish for the Grand Jeu? Or do you prefer the Crystal?"

Madame Cagliostra gave a shrewd, measuring glance at the two young women
standing before her. She was wondering how much they were good for.

"No doubt you have been told," she said suddenly, "that my fee is five
francs. But if you require the Grand Jeu it will be ten francs. Come,
ladies, make up your minds; I will give you both the Grand Jeu for
fifteen francs!"

Sylvia Bailey's lip quivered; she felt a wild wish to burst out
laughing. It was all so absurd; this funny queer house; this odd, stuffy,
empty-looking room; and this vulgar, common-looking woman asserting that
she was descended from the famous Count Cagliostro! And then, to crown
everything, the naive, rather pathetic, attempt to get an extra five
francs out of them.

But Sylvia was a very kindly, happy-natured creature, and she would not
have hurt the feelings of even a Madame Cagliostra for the world.

She looked at her friend questioningly. Would it not be better just to
give the woman five francs and go away? They surely could not expect to
hear anything of any value from such a person. She was evidently a fraud!

But Anna Wolsky was staring at Madame Cagliostra with a serious look.

"Very well," she exclaimed, in her rather indifferent French. "Very well!
We will both take the Grand Jeu at fifteen francs the two."

She turned and smiled at Sylvia. "It will be," she said, quaintly, and in
English, "my 'treat,' dear friend." And then, as Sylvia shook her head
decidedly--there were often these little contests of generosity between
the two women--she added rather sharply,

"Yes, yes! It shall be so. I insist! I see you do not believe in our
hostess's gift. There are, however, one or two questions I must ask, and
to which I fancy she can give me an answer. I am anxious, too, to hear
what she will say about _you_."

Sylvia smiled, and gave way.

Like most prosperous people who have not made the money they are able to
spend, Mrs. Bailey did not attach any undue importance to wealth. But she
knew that her friend was not as well off as herself, and therefore she
was always trying to pay a little more of her share than was fair. Thanks
to Madame Wolsky's stronger will, she very seldom succeeded in doing so.

"We might at least ask