ill happen?"

Mr Gloucester laughed with boyish abandon.

"Rather not! It is a good eight years ago, and it has less chance of
being fulfilled at this moment than it has ever had before, for I have
said goodbye to the land of palms. I should never think of it again but
for the fact,"--his face sobered swiftly--"that two out of those five
prophecies did, as a matter of fact, come true. Three out of the six
men who were there that evening I have never seen again. I can't tell
you what happened in their cases, but by the most absolute chance I ran
up against the barrister fellow two years ago. We talked about our last
meeting, and he said:

"`You remember what that fellow said to me? It came true to the very
hour. I had to speak in my first good brief that morning. I made a
hit, carried the case, got a heap of kudos, and have never looked back
from that hour.' The second man was the one who had said he did not
believe in such trickery. He--"

"Yes?"

"He died. Within a year from our meeting."

Vanna shivered, and drew her scarf more closely round her shoulders.
There was silence for several minutes, while the beating of invisible
wings seemed to throb in the air around. Her thoughts strayed away on a
long, rambling excursion, from which a sudden crash of music from the
band awoke her with a shock of remembrance.

"You look quite scared. I hope I haven't depressed you with my
reminiscences. It was an uncanny experience, but you said you were
interested."

"And I am. Immensely. Thank you so much for telling me. I only hope
your fulfilment, when it comes, may be as satisfactory as your barrister
friend's. Are you sorry to leave India and settle at home? Most men
seem to find it difficult to get back into the old ways."

Mr Gloucester shrugged carelessly.

"Oh, I don't mind. It doesn't trouble me. One does one's work; one is
tired; one rests. What does it matter what country one does it in?
They both have their points. I can be happy in either."

A glance at his face proved the truth of his words. His was one of the
unexacting, sweet-tempered natures, which was content to take life as it
was; enjoying each good which came, and troubling nothing for sorrows
ahead.

"If he were in my place he would not be sad! His life has not gone too
smoothly; he has not found success, but he is content. I must learn his
lesson," Vanna told herself mentally.

"Go on talking!" she said dreamily. "Do y