w that I had propounded one."

"Only a moment ago," the Duchess reminded him, "you spoke of being
shot by the act of God. That, of course, was a form of speech. You
meant that you did not know who did it. Perhaps we shall be able to
solve that little mystery for you."

Rochester looked at his hostess as though for a moment he doubted her
sanity. Tall and slim in his immaculate clothes, standing before the
great wood fire which burned in the open grate, he leaned a little
forward upon his stick, with knitted brows. Then his eyes caught
Pauline's, and something which he was about to say seemed to die away
upon his lips.

"Of course, you are unbelievers, all of you," the Duchess said,
calmly, "but some day--perhaps even to-night--you may become converts.
Did I tell you, Mary," she continued, turning away from Rochester,
"that I met that extraordinary man Naudheim in London? He told me so
many interesting things, and since then I have been reading. He
introduced me to--to one of his most brilliant pupils--a young man, he
assured me, whose insight was more highly developed, even, than his
own. Of course, you understand that in these matters, insight and
perception take the place almost of brains."

"My dear Duchess," Rochester interrupted, "what are you talking
about?"

"The new science," the Duchess answered, with a note of triumph in her
tone. "You will learn all about it some day, and you cannot begin too
soon. The young man whom Professor Naudheim spoke so highly of is
dining here to-night. Curiously enough, I found that he was almost a
neighbor of both of ours."

There was an instant's silence. Pauline, who was prepared, was now
perhaps the calmest of the trio. Rochester's face was dark with anger.

"You refer, Duchess, I suppose," he said--

The Duchess left him unceremoniously. She took a step or two forward
with outstretched hands. The butler was announcing--

"Mr. Saton!"

* * * * *

The dinner was as successful as the Duchess's country dinners always
were. She herself, a hostess of renown, led the conversation at her
end of the table. Like all women with a new craze, she conscientiously
did her best to keep it in the background, and completely failed.
Before the third course had been removed, she was discussing occultism
with the bishop of the diocese. Rochester, from her other side,
listened with a thin smile. She turned upon him suddenly.

"Oh, I know that you're an