in many ways the self composed old maid was a match for madame at this moment train entered and him came a tall young man fair haired and he was handsome but seemed to be ill at ease and pulled yellow nervously as train led him to the throne this is my friend said presenting him he just managed to get here for the fog is so thick here he was interrupted madame cried mrs what is the matter mr the water � wine � quick there was need of it mrs had fallen back on the throne with a white face and lips she appeared as though about to faint but herself with a powerful effort she waved her hand to intimate that she needed nothing at the same time her eyes were fastened not so much on the face of the stranger as on a piece of yellow he wore in his coat i am perfectly well said mrs this is only one of my turns i am glad to see you mr said the stranger who seemed astonished at mrs receives train who was alive with curiosity have you seen him before madame mrs laughed certainly not she replied calmly and yours is not a face i should forget mr � she uttered the name with a certain amount of hesitation as though she was not sure it was the right one george nodded my name is he said rather and mrs nodded in her most gracious manner i bid you welcome sir any friend of mr train s is also my friend if there is anything to amuse you here she waved her hand we are simple people fortune a little music and the company of my guests ik s mr she introduced them but every now and then her eyes were on the yellow remarked it you are noticing my flower mrs he said it is rather rare most extraordinary replied mrs coolly i have seen with red before but yellow there was a great bush of it in my father s garden said mr but i have not seen any for years perhaps you would like it mrs said taking it from his coat she hastily waved her hand no no i am too old for flowers keep it mr it suits better with your youth she looked at his face keenly i have seen a face like yours before laughed i am of a type i fear he said no not so very common fair hair and dark eyes do not usually go together perhaps i have met your father the yellow perhaps replied or your mother persisted mrs i dare say then he turned the conversation what a old house you have here mrs bit her up on finding her inquiries thus baffled but taking her cue expanded on the subject of the house it was a fashionable mansion in the time of the she said some of the are wonderfully painted and there are all kinds of queer rooms and and corners in it and so quiet i dare say she went on this room was filled with and in powder and patches what a sight mr � what a sight will you have some port wine mr she was evidently talking at random and offered him a glass of with a trembling hand evidently more and more astonished at her manner drank off the wine he made few remarks being a man who spoke little in general company train had long ago gone to hear miss bull tell fortunes and from the laughter it was evident that his future was being no no cried train i shall never marry a literary man should keep himself away from the of female society do you agree with that mr asked mrs curiously he shook his head and laughed i am not a mrs then miss bull must about your marriage come at first was unwilling to go but after some persuasion he submitted to be led to the table miss bull was quite willing to do what was asked of her and spread out the cards waited beside mrs with a most indifferent air she was far more anxious to hear the fortune than he was receives you are in trouble announced miss bull in a tone and the trouble will grow worse but in the end all will be well she will aid you to get free and will bestow her hand on you she asked looking puzzled miss bull did not raise her eyes the lady you are thinking of was rather taken but seeing mrs s curious look he crushed down his emotion at my age we are always thinking of ladies he said laughing train touched his arm it is he began but frowned and was quick enough to take the hint miss bull went on telling the fortune there were the usual dark and fair people the widow the journey the money and all the rest of the general events and which are usually foretold but there was always trouble trouble and again trouble but you will come out right in the end said miss bull keep a brave heart i am sure mr will do that said madame graciously while bowed to the compliment miss bull again the cards and fastened her keen black eyes on madame will you have your fortune told she asked coldly oh certainly said mrs in a most manner anything to amuse but my has been told so often and has never come true � never and she sighed in an effective manner miss bull continued her mystic counting she told madame a lot of things about the house which were known to most present mrs laughed and sneered suddenly miss bull turned up a black card you will meet with a violent death she said and every one shuddered chapter n s story if miss bull wished to make madame 