ce of a _child_--a child speaking queer, broken English. Everyone
present, even including Varick and Blanche Farrow, who both believed it
to be a clever and impudent piece of impersonation, was startled and
taken aback by the extraordinary phenomena the girl now presented. Her
eyes were closed, and yet her head was thrust forward as if she was
staring at the big, now roaring, wood fire before her.

Rushing out through her scarcely open lips, came the sing-song words:
"Why bring Laughing Water here? Laughing Water frightened. Laughing
Water want to go away. Laughing Water hates this house. Please, Miss
Bubbles, let Laughing Water go away!" And Bubbles--if it was
Bubbles--twisted and turned and groaned, as if in agony.

And then, to the amazement of all those who were there, young
Donnington, his face set in grim lines, suddenly addressed Bubbles, or
the little pleading creature that appeared to possess the girl: "Don't
be frightened," he said soothingly. "No one's going to hurt Laughing
Water. Everyone in this room is good and kind."

In answer, there broke from Bubbles' lips a loud cry: "No, no, no! Bad
people--cruel people--here! Bad spirits, too. Bad chair. Laughing Water
sitting on torture chair! Miss Bubbles change chair. Then Laughing Water
feel better."

Bubbles got up as an automaton might have got up, and Donnington,
pushing forward one of the painted chairs, drew the low, tapestry
covered _prie-dieu_ from under her.

She gave a deep, deep sigh as she sat down again. Then she turned
herself and the chair round till she was exactly facing Varick. In a
voice which had suddenly become much more her own voice she addressed
him, speaking slowly, earnestly: "I see a lady standing behind you. She
is very stern-looking. She has a pale, worn face, and dark blue eyes.
They are very like your eyes. Her hair is parted in the middle; it is
slightly grey. She must have passed over about fifteen to twenty years
ago. I think it is your mother. She wants to, she wants to--" Bubbles
hesitated, and then, speaking now entirely in her own voice, she
exclaimed with a kind of gasp--"to warn you of danger."

Varick opened his lips, and then he closed them. He felt shaken with an
over-mastering emotion, as well as intense surprise, and, yes, of fierce
anger with the girl for daring to do this--to him.

But Bubbles began again, staring as if at something beyond and behind
him. "Now there's another figure, standing to your left. Sh