Athalie's face flushed with the shame and pity of her knowledge of the late Mrs. Del Garmo; and the thought of the secret cupboard with its nest of wires made her blush again.
The old gentleman looked all around the room and then asked if he might seat himself.
Athalie also sat down in the stiff arm-chair by the table where her crystal stood on its tripod.
"I wonder," he ventured, "whether you could help me. Do you think so?"
"I don't know," replied the girl. "All I know about it is that I cannot help myself through crystal gazing. I never looked into a crystal but once. And what I searched for was not there."
The old gentleman considered her earnestly for a few moments. "Child," he said, "you are very honest. Perhaps you could help me. It would be a great consolation to me if you could. Would you try?"
"I don't know how," murmured Athalie.
"Maybe I can aid you to try by telling you a little about myself."
The girl lifted her flushed face from the crystal: