She immediately took up the business that had brought her, with the air however of drawing from the omens then discernible less confidence than she had hoped.

The complication lay in the fact that if it was Mamie's part to present the omens, that lady yet had so to colour them as to make her own service large.

She perhaps over-coloured; for her friend gave way to momentary despair.
"What you mean is then that it's simply impossible ?" "Oh no," said Mamie with a qualified emphasis.

"It's POSSIBLE." "But disgustingly difficult ?" "As difficult as you like." "Then what can I do that I haven't done ?" "You can only wait a little longer." "But that's just what I HAVE done.

I've done nothing else.