THE STOLEN SHAKESPEARE
HESITATING at the door of the studio long enough only to send to Astro a quick surreptitious message with her eyes—indicating, apparently, contempt for the visitor—Valeska announced, "Mr. Barrister," and left the two men alone in the room.
The newcomer looked about a bit foolishly, and then turned to the palmist. "You're Astro, I suppose?"
Astro, in robe and turban, bowed gravely and his glance slumbered.
"Eh—ah—the fact is, sir," continued Barrister, "that I have come here about a peculiar matter, and solely, sir, to please my wife. She has a woman's weakness for anything occult,—anything full of folderol and fake. You see, I don't take any stock in it myself; but—"
"I understand perfectly," said the Master of Mysteries without apparent annoyance. He seemed, in fact, to be bored already.
The other teetered affably on his toes and heels, condescension in his manner. "She had heard that you professed to be some kind of fortune-teller, besides doing this palmistry business. Is that so?"
"I have had occasion at times to use certain powers which are—ah—supposed to be occult. I say 'supposed to be', out of deference to your manifest feelings in the matter, Mr. Barrister."
