IJONISING MURDERERS. 183 



cast loosely around her neck, and it was plain that her other one is slow getting 

 back from the wash. I presume she takes snufF. At any rate, something 

 resembling it had lodged among the hairs sprouting from her upper lip. I 

 know she likes garlic — I knew that as soon as she sighed. She looked at me 

 searchingly for nearly a minute, with her black eyes, and then said — 



" It is enough. Come ! " 



She started down a very, dark and dismal corridor — I stepping close after her. 

 Presently she stopped, and said that, as the way was so crooked and dark, 

 perhaps she had better get a light. But it seemed ungallant to allow a woman 

 to put herself to so much trouble for me, and so I said — 



" It is not worth while, madam. If you will heave another sigh, I think I 

 can follow it." 



So we got along all right. Arrived at her official and mysterious den, she 

 asked me to tell her the date of my birth, the exact hour of that occurrence, and 

 the color of my grandmother's hair. I answered as accurately as I could. Then 

 she said — 



" Young man, summon your fortitude — do not tremble. I am about to reveal 

 the past." 



Information concerning the future would be in a general way, more " 



" Silence ! You have had much trouble, some joy, some good fortune, some 

 bad. Your great grandfather was hanged." 



" That is a 1—." 



" Silence ! Hanged sir. But it was not his fault. He could not help it." 



"I am glad you do him justice." 



"Ah — grieve, rather, that the jury did. He was hanged. His star crosses 

 yours in the fourth division, fifth sphere. Consequently you will be hanged 

 also." 



" In view of this cheerful " 



" I must have silence. Yours was not, in the beginning, a criminal nature, 

 but circumstances changed it. At the age of nine you stole sugar. At the 

 age of fifteen you stole money. At twenty you stole horses. At twenty-five 

 you committed arson. At thirty, hardened in crime, you became an editor. 



