about the habits which he and his companion wore, and the thought
flashed into my mind that perhaps they were members of some religious
order, or some Oriental cult or priesthood. And both of them, I added
to myself, must be a little mad!

As I watched, the discussion gradually grew more animated, and the
younger man, springing to his feet, paced excitedly up and down,
touching his forehead with his fingers from time to time, and raising
his hands to heaven, as though calling it as a witness to his words.
At last the other made a sign of assent, got to his feet, bent his
head reverently as to a spiritual superior and walked slowly away
toward the house. The younger man stood gazing after him until he
passed from sight, then resumed his rapid pacing up and down,
evidently deeply moved.

At last from the direction of the house came the flutter of a white
robe. For a moment, I thought it was the old man returning; then as it
emerged fully from among the trees, I saw that it was a woman--a
young woman, I guessed, from her slimness, and from the mass of dark
hair which framed her face. And then I remembered that Godfrey had
told me that Worthington Vaughan had a daughter.

The man was at her side in an instant, held out his hand, and said
something, which caused her to shrink away. She half-turned, as though
to flee, but the other laid his hand upon her arm, speaking earnestly,
and, after a moment, she permitted him to lead her to a seat. He
remained standing before her, sometimes raising his hands to heaven,
sometimes pointing toward the house, sometimes bending close above
her, and from time to time making that peculiar gesture of touching
his fingers to his forehead, whose meaning I could not guess. But I