"

At the same moment there came a sound in the air above their heads--
soft, clear, vibrating--like the faint echo of a silver bell.

Mrs Jefferson started, the poet turned pale. Colonel Estcourt looked
at them gravely.

"It is the answer," he said. "You may come. She will receive us. Who
else do you wish to invite?"

"Oh, my husband, if I may," cried Mrs Jefferson, eagerly, "and
Diogenes--he's so solid and sensible. His imagination never plays
tricks with him."

"Very well," said Colonel Estcourt, "bring them also."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Princess Zairoff was seated in her boudoir reading, as the party
filed in, headed by Colonel Estcourt.

She rose and greeted them with the same sweet and gracious manner that
had so charmed Mrs Jefferson.

"I know why you are here," she said, as the little American burst into
vivacious explanations. "I am quite ready to do anything Julian wishes.
You know--or, perhaps, you do not know--that he trained my
_clairvoyante_ faculties long ago. They are natural to me, I suppose;
but you do not require to be told that even natural gifts are capable of
training and improving to almost any extent." She turned to Mrs
Jefferson. "You have some power," she said, "you saw me the other
night. No one else did."

Mrs Jefferson looked highly gratified. "Oh, Madame Zairoff," she
cried, "I'd give up everything in the world to have your wonderful
gifts."

"Even Worth's gowns?" said the princess, smiling. "What about the
pleasant vanities we talked so much about?"

"Oh, bother the vanities. I've found out life can be much more
interesting than when it's merely frivolous," said the American,
heartily. "Is there anything I _could_ do to become an occultist?"

Colonel Estcourt laughed outright.

"My dear Mrs Jefferson," he said, "the life is not by any means easy,
or gratifying. I think you had better consider it carefully, and weigh
it well in the balance with the `creations' of Worth, and the
magnificence of your diamonds, for somehow the two things won't pull
together, and you haven't even learnt the A B C of occult science yet."

"No," she said, seating herself, "I suppose not. Well, please begin my
lesson."

"This will not be a lesson," he said, gravely, "only an illustration.
May I ask you all to be seated?"

They took various chairs and seats, and the princess threw herself on
the couch, nestling back among