“’Um,” said William.
“Oh, dear!” fluttered the Woman of Mystery. “I must go—yet how can I go? People will be coming for their fortunes.”
William waved aside the objection.
“Oh, I’ll see to that,” he said.
“But—can you tell fortunes, dear?” she asked.
“I dunno,” said William. “I’ve never tried yet.”
The Woman of Mystery drew off her curious gown.
“I must go,” she said.
With that she fled—through the back opening of the tent.
William slowly and deliberately arrayed himself. He put on the gown and arranged it so that his eyes came to the two eye-holes and his hands out of the two arm-holes. Then he lifted the hassock on which the Woman of Mystery had disposed her feet, on to the chair, and took his seat upon it, carefully hiding it with the gown. At that moment the flap of the tent opened and a client entered. She put half a crown on the table, and sat down on the chair opposite William.