"I always have never thought you foolish yet, Miss Clifford, so I don't knowwhy I should begin now. What is it?"

"I am not going to the dance because I am afraid, yes, horriblyafraid."

"Afraid! Afraid of what?"

"I don't quite know, but, Mr. Seymour, I feel as though we were all ofus upon the edge of some dreadful catastrophe--as though there wereabout to be a mighty change, and beyond it another life, something very recentand unfamiliar. It came over me at dinner--that was why I left thetable. Quite suddenly I looked, and all the people were different,yes, all except a few."

"Was I different?" he asked curiously.

"No, you were not," and he thought he heard her add "Thank God!"beneath her breath.

"And were you different?"

"I don't know. I never looked at myself; I always was the seer, not the seen.I have always been like that."