For the month, which was July, the costume was appropriate, but,
in the opinion of Mabel, in no way suited to the priestess of
the occult and the mysterious.

"Why, Vera!" exclaimed Mrs. Vance, "whatever have you got on?
Ain't you going to receive visitors? There's ten dollars waiting
in there now."

In sudden apprehension, Vera looked down at her spotless
garments.

"Don't I look nice?" she begged.

"Of course you look nice, dearie," Mabel assured her, "but you
don't look like no fortune teller."

"If you want to know what you look like," said Mannie sternly,
"you look like one of the waiter girls at Childs's -- that's
what you look like."

"And your crown!" exclaimed Mabel, "and your kimono. Ain't you
going to wear your kimono?"

She hastened to the cabinet and produced the cloak of black
velvet and spangles, and the silver-gilt crown.

"No, I am not!" declared Vera. She wore the frightened look of a
mutinous child. "I -- I look so -- foolish in them!"

Such heresy caused Mannie to gasp aloud; "You look grand in