ay sit down. I haven't been able,
Mr. Blood, to get your story out of my head since you told it: none of
us have. Do you believe in palmistry? Now, Mr. Harrison, do sit still
till I finish your hand. Oh, here's another engagement in it! Why,
Allen Harrison!"

"How many is that?" asked Gertrude, looking over.

"Three; and here is further excitement for you, Mr. Harrison----"

"How soon?" demanded Allen.

"Very soon, I should think; just as soon as you get home."

"Well timed," said Marie; she and Glover had come up. "I think that's
all, this time," concluded Louise, studying the lines carefully. "Go
slow on mining for one year, remember." She looked at Morris Blood.
"Am I to have the pleasure of reading your hand?"

"There isn't a bit of excitement in my hand, Miss Donner, no fortunes,
no adventures, no engagements----"

"You mean in your life. Very good; that's just the sort of hand I love
to read. The excitement is all ahead. Really I should like to read
your hand."

"If you insist," he said, putting out his left hand.

"Your right, please," smiled Louise.

"I have no right," he answered. She looked mystified, but held out her
hand smilingly for his right.

"I have no right hand," he repeated, smiling, too.

None had observed before that the superintendent never offered his hand
in greeting. A conscious instant fell on the group. It was barely an
instant, for Glover, who heard, turned at once from an answer to Marie
Brock and laying a hand on his companion's shoulder spoke easily to
Louise. "He gave his right hand for me once, Miss Donner, that's the
reason he has none. May I offer mine for him?"

He put out his own right hand as he asked, and his lightly serious
words bridged the momentary embarrassment.

"Oh, I can read either hand," laughed Louise, recovering and putting
Glover's hand aside. "Let me have your left, Mr. Blood--your turn
presently, Mr. Glover. Be seated. Now this is the sort of hand I
like," she declared, leaning forward as she looked into the left--"full
of romance, Mr. Blood. Here is an affair of the heart the very first
thing. Now don't laugh, this is serious." She studied the palm a
moment and glanced mischievously around her. "If I were to disclose
all the delicate romances I find here," she declared with an air of
mystery, "they would laugh at both of us. I'm not going to give them a
chance. I give private readings, too, Mr. Blood, and you shall have a