"Ah!" And here Elspeth recoiled. "My palmist and my best recipes are sacred to me, Mrs. Tweksbury. But may I call my little seer to you?"
Mrs. Tweksbury consented, and when Joan looked at the pink, soft palm a spirit of mischief possessed her.
Skirting as near as she dared to the facts in her possession, she gently, but startlingly, took the owner of the hand at a disadvantage.
At first Mrs. Tweksbury was confirmed in her idea that the girl before her was a society girl—her general knowledge could be explained by that, but suddenly Joan became more daring—she vividly recalled much that she had heard Doris say in defence of the old woman whom Nancy and she feared and often ridiculed.
It took but a twist to change a private incident into a blurred but amazing suggestion.
Mrs. Tweksbury was frankly and angrily impressed.
When passing from the room Miss Gordon spoke to her:
"Do you believe in my Veiled Lady?" she asked.
"Certainly not, Miss Gordon, but I'm—afraid of her! You had better guard her somewhat—or she'll be taken seriously."
"We'll never see her again!" prophesied Joan, chuckling over her victory with the old lady; "I've evened up for Nan and me!" she thought, and then the incident passed from her mind.