of mysteries.

Arrived in the centre of her own apartment Miss Semaphore turned round and faced her sister with much solemnity. She spoke no word and began slowly unfastening her bonnet string. The air seemed big with fate.

“Well?” gasped Miss Prudence, “did you see her? Is it all right? What was she like?”

Miss Semaphore was in no haste to answer.

“The Water—tell me quick, was it any good. Did you buy it?”

“Look,” said Miss Semaphore with a wave of her hand.

The eyes of Miss Prudence followed the gesture and fell on Toutou. But was it Toutou, this transformed dog? Old, shaky, querulous, rheumatic Toutou? She went nearer. There was a jolly, bright-eyed little beast, a mere puppy, slim, young, and frisky, 56without a grey hair in his coat, who suddenly leaped on Prudence, barking and jumping round with lively manifestations of delight.

56

“She tested it on him,” said Miss Augusta in a hollow voice, “and see the result. Can we doubt its miraculous power any longer?”

Miss Prudence sat down, looking quite pale and awe-stricken. This proof overwhelmed her.

“I am almost afraid of it,” she gasped. “It does not seem right somehow, does it?”

“Oh, nonsense,” exclaimed Miss Augusta pettishly. “Not right? Of course it is. For my part I think it a most glorious and beneficent discovery, and not calculated to harm anyone.”

“Did she give much to Toutou? Do tell me all that happened. Was she nice?”

“Yes, she was very nice indeed, a well-bred, good-looking woman. The house was not much to look at, and the servant so untidy; but Mrs. Geldheraus told me she had only taken apartments there temporarily, as she is leaving almost immediately for the continent. Her boxes are packed.”

“Does she look young herself?”

“About twenty-three; but she assures me she is sixty-four. I could not believe it. She 57showed me her baptismal certificate. It was in German, so I could not make much out of it; but I saw the date eighteen hundred and thirty something quite plainly.”

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