the brain and was trying
to tap herself in the eye.

Then the vicious voice began, in a loud mechanical manner, to
speak with the greatest volubility, running the sentences
together, and not thinking of a comma or a period till her breath
was exhausted, in a manner that would have fairly distanced Susan
Nipper herself, even if that rapid young lady had twenty seconds
the start.

"I see by looking in this stone that you was born under two
planets one is the planet Mars you will die under the planet
Jupiter but it won't be this year or next you have seen a great
deal of trouble and misfortune in your past life but better days
are surely in store for you you have passed through many things
which if written in a book would make a most interesting volume I
see by looking more closely in the stone that you are about to
receive two letters one a business letter the other a let--"

Here her breath failed, and as soon as it came back the voice
continued--

"ter from a friend it is written very closely and is crossed I
see by looking more closely in the stone that one of the letters
will contain news which will distress you exceedingly for a
little while but you need not be troubled for it will all be for
your good you are soon to have an interview with a man of light
hair and blue eyes who will profess great interest in you but he
will get the advantage of you if he can you must beware of him I
see by looking more closely in the stone that you will live to be
68 years old but you will die before you are 70." Here was
another station where the locomotive voice stopped to take in
air, and then instantly dashed ahead at a greater speed than
ever. "I see by looking more closely in the stone that good luck
will befall you a near friend will die and leave you a fortune I
see by looking more closely in the stone that this will happen to
you when you are between 32 and 34 years old that is all I see in
this stone."

Another grab brought from the little drawer another pebble,
which the Madame placed at her eye, the boring operation was
recommenced, and the vicious voice once more got up steam.

"I see by looking closely in this stone that you will have two
wives one will be blue-eyed and the other will be black-eyed with
the first one you will not live long but with the last one you
will be happy many years I see by looking more closely in the
stone that you will have six children which will be very
comfortable the lady who i