“Oh, please,” said Peggy, much ashamed of Katherine’s rude outburst, “we want to hear it, and we will perhaps believe it when we have heard something. Indeed, Katherine wasn’t doubting what you did say, you know—she only—”
“Quiet,” hissed the woman.
Was it true that a cloud, filmy and light and vapory went drifting across the clear crystal surface again? The girls felt no impulse to laugh now.
“I see a girl—I see snow—”
Katherine thought that she couldn’t help it if she looked out of the window, but this time refrained from comment and held her breath while she watched the mysterious smoky appearance of the crystal.
“I see a loss of a long time ago—many years—relative torn from relative—”
Peggy and Katherine clutched at each other’s knees.
“Walking, walking, so tired,” mumbled the woman, “a long white field. I see an initial—let’s see what the initial is. Is it A? no, it is not A. Is it B—no, no, now I have it, it is H.”
Peggy gave a tiny scream and the voice continued:
“Cold, very cold, far east of here and a little north. A college room, a mandolin, a young man plays on the mandolin. Also I see—” the voice rose excitedly, “a school lawn, a moon, this time it is warm, I do not understand it, and a group of young men are picking up little—little roses from the ground, and a girl leans from a window—”