y prophesy would also
perhaps come true if, as well as prophesying, she eventually brought her
intelligence to bear upon its accomplishment.

"Wait one moment," Pateley said, almost nervously, to Rachel. "There is
Stamfordham, he is coming this way," and as Stamfordham drew near the
door of the tent Pateley accosted him.

Lady Adela, it may be presumed, had some occult means of discovering
from inside who was drawing near her fateful quarters, or else she had
the simpler methods more usually employed by mortals, of looking to
see. At all events, as Stamfordham came towards her enclosure, she
appeared on the threshold and winningly lifted the mysterious curtain,
burlesquing a low curtsey in reply to Stamfordham's bow.

"Lord Stamfordham!" Pateley said hurriedly. Stamfordham, in some
surprise, looked round. He had been seeing Pateley on and off during the
day. Why did he accost him in this way? But the urgent note in his voice
arrested his attention. Then, as he looked up, he saw an anxious
pale-faced, girlish figure standing by Pateley, looking at him with
large brown eyes filled with indescribable anxiety. It was a face that
he knew, that he had seen somewhere. Who was it? For one puzzled moment
he tried to remember. Pateley took the bull by the horns.

"Lord Stamfordham," he said, "Mrs. Rendel wants to speak to you."

Mrs. Rendel! Of course it was Mrs. Rendel. He had last seen her that day
at Cosmo Place. Again a wave of indignation rushed over him. Rachel
advanced desperately, looking as though she were going to speak.
Stamfordham, involuntarily looking round him at the crowd of observers
and listeners, said quickly in a low voice, "I am very sorry, it is no
good. It is impossible." And then to Pateley, "It is no good, I can't do
anything. You must tell her so," and he passed through the curtain which
Lady Adela let drop behind him. Rachel looked at Pateley, then to his
amazement and also to his involuntary admiration she lifted the curtain
and passed in too.

The two people inside stood aghast at her appearance. She had followed
so quickly upon Stamfordham's steps that he was still standing looking
round him at his strange surroundings, Lady Adela facing him with a
smile of welcome. The apparatus of the fortune-teller apparently
consisted in certain cabalistic properties--wands, dials with signs upon
them, and the like--arranged round a table. Stamfordham spoke first. He
was absolutely convinced that Rachel had