, hoping nothing. But he would
just go through with it to satisfy himself....

The door opened, and the two ladies came in.

"I am delighted that you called, Mr. Baxter; and on such an errand!"

Lady Laura put out a hand, tremulous with pleasure at welcoming a
possible disciple.

"Mrs. Stapleton has explained--" began Laurie.

"I understand everything. You come as a skeptic--no, not as a skeptic,
but as an inquirer, that is all that we wish.... Then tomorrow, at
about half-past four."

_Chapter IV_

I

It was a mellow October afternoon, glowing towards sunset, as Laurie
came across the south end of the park to his appointment next day; and
the effect of it upon his mind was singularly unsuggestive of
supernatural mystery. Instead, the warm sky, the lights beginning to
peep here and there, though an hour before sunset, turned him rather
in the direction of the natural and the domestic.

He wondered what his mother and Maggie would say if they knew his
errand, for he had sufficient self-control not to have told them of
his intentions. As regards his mother he did not care very much. Of
course she would deprecate it and feebly dissuade; but he recognized
that there was no particular principle behind, beyond a sense of
discomfort at the unknown. But it was necessary for him to argue with
himself about Maggie. The angry kind of contempt that he knew she
would feel needed an answer; and he gave it by reminding himself that
she had been brought up in a convent-school, that she knew nothing of
the world, and that, lastly, he himself did not take the matter
seriously. He was aware, too, that the instinctive repulsion that she
felt so keenly found a certain echo in his own feelings; but he
explained this by the novelty of the thing.

In fact, the attitude of mind in which he more or less succeeded in
arraying himself was that of one who goes to see a serious conjurer.
It would be rather fun, he thought, to see a table dancing. But there
was not wholly wanting that inexplicable tendency of some natures
deliberately to deceive themselves on what lies nearest to their
hearts.

Mr. Vincent had not yet arrived when he was shown upstairs, even
though Laurie himself was late. (This was partly deliberate. He
thought it best to show a little nonchalance.) There was only a young
clergyman in the room with the ladies; and the two were introduced.

"Mr. Baxter--Mr. Jamieson."

He seemed a harmless young man, thought