sees the place for the first time alone, his hands will be red with
blood before a month passes away."

"Then that will refer to me," I said. "But surely such nonsense is not
believed in now?"

"These things are not nonsense," said Voltaire. "Earth and heaven are
full of occult forces." I paid no further attention to the subject at
the time, but this conversation came back to me with terrible force in
the after-days.

For a while we chatted on ordinary subjects, and then, remounting our
horses, we prepared to ride back. During this time I had felt entirely
free from any of the strange influences I have described, and I began to
wonder at it; especially so as Miss Forrest had voluntarily come to my
side, and we had galloped away together.

We took a roundabout road to Temple Hall, and so were longer together,
and again I was happy.

"I thought you were not coming," she said. "What in the world drew you
away so suddenly?"

I tried to tell her, but I could not. Every time I began to speak of the
influence Voltaire had exerted I was seemingly tongue-tied. No words
would come.

"I was very sorry," I said at length, "but you did not want a companion.
Mr. Voltaire came."