“Ah!” she breathed.  “Some of them do make me angry.  They like to play at having dealings with the supernatural.  But I thought the crystal would be such a good thing for Sullivan’s reception.  It is very important to Sullivan that this should be a great success—­our first large public reception, you know.  Sullivan says we must advertise ourselves.”

The explanation of her motives was given so naively, so simply and unaffectedly, that it was impossible to take exception to it.

“Where’s the crystal?” I inquired.

“It is here,” she said, and she rolled a glass ball with the suddenness that had the appearance of magic from the dark portion of the table’s surface into the oval of light.  And it was so exactly spherical, and the table top was so smooth that it would not stay where it was put, and she had to hold it there with her ringed hand.

“So that’s it,” I remarked.

“Carl,” she said, “it is only right I should warn you.  Some weeks ago I saw in the crystal the face of a man whom I did not know.  I saw it again and again—­and always the same scene.  Then I saw you at the Opera last week, and Sullivan introduced you as his cousin that he talks about sometimes.  Did you notice that night that I behaved rather queerly?”

“Yes.”  I spoke shortly.

“You are the man whom I saw in the crystal.”

“Really?” I ejaculated, smiling, or at least trying to smile.  “And what is the scene of which I am part?”

“You are standing—­But no!”

She abruptly ceased speaking and coughed, clearing her throat, and she fixed her large eyes on me.  Outside I could hear the distant strain of the orchestra, and the various noises of a great crowd of people.  But this little dark room, with its sharply defined oval of light, was utterly shut off from the scene of gaiety.  I was aware of an involuntary shiver, and for the life of me I could not keep my gaze steadily on the face of the tall woman who sat so still, with such impressiveness, on the other side of the table.  I waited for her to proceed, and after what seemed a long interval she spoke again: 

“You aren’t afraid, are you?” she demanded.

“Of course I’m not.”

“Then you shall look into the crystal and try to see what I saw.  I will not tell you.  You shall try to see for yourself.  You may succeed, if I help you.  Now, try to free your mind from every thought, and look earnestly.  Look!”

I drew the globe towards me from under her fingers.

“Rum!” I murmured to myself.

Then I strenuously fixed my eyes on the glinting depths of the crystal, full of strange, shooting fires; but I could see nothing whatever.

“No go!” I said.  “You’ll have to tell me what you saw.”

“Patience.  There is time yet.  Look again.  Take my hand in your right hand.”

I obeyed, and we sat together in the tense silence.  After a few minutes, the crystal darkened and then slowly cleared.  I trembled with an uneasy anticipation.