"So I understand," said the old lady, with a touch of peevishness. "A
vegetarian last year. And I believe she was a sort of Buddhist five or
six years ago. And then she nearly became a Christian Scientist a
little while ago."

Maggie smiled.

"I wonder what she'll talk about," she said.

"I hope she won't be very advanced," went on the old lady. "And you
think I'd better not tell her about Laurie?"

"I'm sure it's best not," said the girl, "or she'll tell him about
Deep Breathing, or saying Om, or something. No; I should let Laurie
alone."

* * * * *

It was a little before one o'clock that the motor arrived, and that
there descended from it at the iron gate a tall, slender woman, hooded
and veiled, who walked up the little path, observed by Maggie from her
bedroom, with a kind of whisking step. The motor moved on, wheeled in
through the gates at the left, and sank into silence in the
stable-yard.

"It's too charming of you, dear Mrs. Baxter," Maggie heard as she came
into the drawing-room a minute or two later, "to let me come over like
this. I've heard so much about this house. Lady Laura was telling me
how very psychical it all was."