ppointed hour, therefore, I called at the rooms, where I was
received by a young negro of the blackest type. He was dressed in full
Turkish costume, and his actions gave me the impression that he was
dumb. This black mute first ushered me into a very large front room,
elegantly furnished in the style of a modern _salon_. Heavy curtains
hung in graceful folds from richly gilded cornices, sufficiently
obscuring the windows to prevent the strong glare of the afternoon sun
from penetrating directly into the room; arm-chairs and sofas were
plentifully scattered about, to accommodate the throng of persons who
were expected to visit the fortune-teller; the walls were hung with
engravings and paintings; and on the floor was a thick Brussels carpet
into which my feet sank noiselessly, as I walked about inspecting the
pictures and furniture. After scanning the sable usher for a few
minutes, I said:

"Now, if that color would wash off, I should feel sure of finding one of
my office boys, named Jack Scott, underneath." The mute grinned
responsively, and I saw that I had guessed correctly. "Well, Jack," I
continued, "I don't think you need fear detection. Where is Mrs. Warne?"

Jack still remained mute; but he went into another room, and soon
beckoned me to follow him. As I crossed the threshold, the door closed
noiselessly behind me. It took me several seconds to accustom my eyes to
the change in the light. Then I began to gather an idea of the
surroundings, and my surprise at Mrs. Warne's success was equalled only
by my admiration of her good taste and judgment.

The room was nearly square, but a large mirror, at the end opposite the
entrance, gave a duplicate view of the whole; the shape of the mirror
being that of a large doorway, the effect was to give an appearance of
two rooms, instead of one. The walls and windows were hung with some
dark colored material, which wholly shut out every ray of sunlight; but
a soft, dim radiance was shed from five swinging lamps, one in each
corner and the fifth in the centre of the room. These lamps were of
bronzed silver, of Oriental patterns, and were all in motion; the corner
lamps swinging back and forth toward the centre, and the centre one,
swinging slowly around in a circle. On the walls, were hung several
charts and mystic symbols, while the floor was covered with a close
matting of white straw, upon which was painted the common representation
of the signs of the zodiac. A number of s