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We had all been very happy together。 The only trouble had been that on
the last night； at dinner； my uncle asked me if I still went in for 'the Gipsy
business；' as he always called it； and of course the three ladies were
immensely excited； and implored me to 'do' their hands。 I told them it was
all nonsense； I said I had forgotten all I once knew； I made various excuses；
and the matter dropped。 It was quite true that I had given up reading hands。
I avoided anything that might remind me of what was in my own hands。
And so； next morning； it was a great bore to me when； soon after the train
started； Mrs。 Elbourn said it would be 'too cruel' of me if I refused to do
their hands now。 Her daughter and Mrs。 Brett also said it would be 'brutal'；
and they were all taking off their gloves； andwell； of course I had to give
in。
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〃I went to work methodically on Mrs。 Elbourn's hands； in the usual
way； you know； first sketching the character from the backs of them； and
there was the usual hush； broken by the usual little noises grunts of
assent from the husband； cooings of recognition from the daughter。
Presently I asked to see the palms； and from them I filled in the details of
Mrs。 Elbourn's character before going on to the events in her life。 But
while I talked I was calculating how old Mrs。 Elbourn might be。 In my
first glance at her palms I had seen that she could not have been less than
twenty…five when she married。 The daughter was seventeen。 Suppose the
daughter had been born a year laterhow old would the mother be？ Forty…
three； yes。 Not less than that； poor woman！〃
Laider looked at me。
〃Why 'poor woman！' you wonder？ Well； in that first glance I had seen
other things than her marriage…line。 I had seen a very complete break in
the lines of life and of fate。 I had seen violent death there。 At what age？
Not later； not possibly LATER； than forty…three。 While I talked to her
about the things that had happened in her girlhood； the back of my brain
was hard at work on those marks of catastrophe。 I was horribly wondering
that she was still alive。 It was impossible that between her and that
catastrophe there could be more than a few short months。 And all the time
I was talking； and I suppose I acquitted myself well； for I remember that
when I ceased I had a sort of ovation from the Elbourns。
〃It was a relief to turn to another pair of hands。 Mrs。 Brett was an
amusing young creature； and her hands were very characteristic； and
prettily odd in form。 I allowed myself to be rather whimsical about her
nature； and having begun in that vein； I went on in it； somehow； even after
she had turned her palms。 In those palms were reduplicated the signs I had
seen in Mrs。 Elbourn's。 It was as though they had been copied neatly out。
The only difference was in the placing of them； and it was this difference
that was the most horrible point。 The fatal age in Mrs。 Brett's hands was
not past； no； for here SHE was。 But she might have died when she was
twenty…one。 Twenty…three seemed to be the utmost span。 She was twenty…
four； you know。
〃I have said that I am a weak man。 And you will have good proof of
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A。 V。 Laider
that directly。 Yet I showed a certain amount of strength that dayyes； even
on that day which has humiliated and saddened the rest of my life。 Neither
my face nor my voice betrayed me when in the palms of Dorothy Elbourn
I was again confronted with those same signs。 She was all for knowing the
future； poor child！ I believe I told her all manner of things that were to be。
And she had no futurenone； none in THIS worldexcept
〃And then； while I talked； there came to me suddenly a suspicion。 I
wondered it hadn't come before。 You guess what it was？ It made me feel
very cold and strange。 I went on talking。 But； also； I went onquite
separatelythinking。 The suspicion wasn't a certainty。 This mother and
daughter were always together。 What was to befall the one might
anywhereanywherebefall the other。 But a like fate； in an equally near
future； was in store for that other lady。 The coincidence was curious； very。
Here we all were togetherhere； they and II who was narrowly to escape；
so soon now； what they； so soon now； were to suffer。 Oh； there was an
inference to be drawn。 Not a sure inference； I told myself。 And always I
was talking； talking； and the train was swinging and swaying noisily
alongto what？ It was a fast train。 Our carriage was near the engine。 I was
talking loudly。 Full well I had known what I should see in the colonel's
hands。 I told myself I had not known。 I told myself that even now the thing
I dreaded was not sure to be。 Don't think I was dreading it for myself。 I
wasn't so 'lamentable' as all thatnow。 It was only of them that I thought
only for them。 I hurried over the colonel's character and career； I was
perfunctory。 It was Brett's hands that I wanted。 THEY were the hands that
mattered。 If THEY had the marks Remember； Brett was to start for India
in the coming week； his wife was to remain in England。 They would be
apart。 Therefore
〃And the marks were there。 And I did nothingnothing but hold forth
on the subtleties of Brett's character。 There was a thing for me to do。 I
wanted to do it。 I wanted to spring to the window and pull the
communication…cord。 Quite a simple thing to do。 Nothing easier than to
stop a train。 You just give a sharp pull； and the train slows down； comes to
a standstill。 And the guard appears at your window。 You explain to the
guard。
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〃Nothing easier than to tell him there is going to be a collision。
Nothing easier than to insist that you and your friends and every other
passenger in the train must get out at once。 There ARE easier things than
this？ Things that need less courage than this？ Some of THEM I could have
done； I dare say。 This thing I was going to do。 Oh； I was determined that I
would do itdirectly。
〃I had said all I had