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The Wingham Times, 1896-03-13, Page 2WORKIN Ur THE ORACLE, ie4dietfaa. XIV glr• OZ•in/B141.04. .,...1.40-AmegoroalKoP4- :744zr4a; 10010M01.110W.MOIL —with the znoural exception of such as would Iteoe involved matrimony. A prodeg an nmet set some limit to his entimeeeia for experiment. But, as yeers evnee ou, aiel hie, hair wore off, the old eleO ',emu gradually relinquished Ode in:el.:to ino branch of stuay. Now. he wa.,; aettly to be reco anywhere else then o w the e.!•-• e where he as content to bl• he lee -,r of the rising generation of (',',.h(',',.hntalists. 'When Anatole Dupree elicited his minim, having made a full S.f-it ezneut of the case, the luau of , much eeperionce said: " You hove demonstrated too much ardor. She hats been perfectly aware of you fano yeur ineetgog and doubt - /gee Izoo en.; glee.t deal more about you Already than you possibly can, or, 11('r.haps, V.".:r Imoev about her. But :your ad -emote.% by their boldness and persiseense. alvake, in her a reaction of emtagoeiemhe e . Sis onwho values her- self too highly to be taken by stolen. And elle, aoes not value a conquest that is auene too mei-1y any more than yot youree'S would. Her pride must b piqued and her curiosity excited. I possible, you must make her say to her self: 'I ton. not so sure I have captivate( ,uug: num; he seems capable o turreng back nenen me,' She wil not bc content until eho has aeeured her self of tae power of her fascinations,' once z;he feels it a matter of question. As you affect to retreat, she will ad- vance, until, without being aware of it. her to a msses the boundary line beyond which turnirg back will be at least diffi- cult. Cense, for a few days at least, paying the slightest attention to her. You will see that she will very soon seek to reclaim the interest she has already learned to expect." In compliance with that sage advice, the young man, dtuing three or four days, kept out of the widows way and, of course, refrained from floral tributes. Then, one morning,, his valet Josef said to him with a sly smile: "Mfglemoiselle Amandine, the maid eef our neighbor below, has been ques- tioning mo concerning monsieur." "Ah, I am flattered! Mademoiselle Amandine is sufficiently pretty to merit a reciprocation of interest." Does monsiem• wish to torture m with jealousy?" exclaimed Josef, M mock-heroic style. "No, you rogue!" laughed his master "But what else am to supposer considerable- Keeled down, I ae- not E NG ;-{ A 11 TIMES, ArA rt CH I IS. 146, wish to. I aid afraid of thesei,.gearing euml. seeing- were coneeenea. a machine winch talks to hoz' him a pure age% enarply, be a tone of command. aee," respondea Madame Ciirerd, •es‘ yon, sir, from the repres tatione," "She innet have given it to you pre Tee "Netneally she wonld is • let hers t•eeelleg." 1 atieh to think how o must ha inte But—will lead anything'?" -That depends upon you, :dr." "Inch !" 'Ainandine said to me: `Why do ;lot monsieur obtain an introduction vied:into in a formal way. He surely aetotainted with wino one who kilo her.' " "Jo.e•O. I deserve to be kicked for n havIng thought of that before. I co shier neyeelf kicked. But how am ten .kvho knows her?" • "Ah ! Aznandine was prepared mouth aevay that obstacle, She had 1 her possession a list of those invited t her mistress's ilext-Thursday-evenim reception—'quite accidentally,' she sat —and permitted me to copy it. Hem. it is." Anatole gave me but one glance at it when he uttered a cry of exultatiox and, slapping his thigh, exclaimed: "Bah! Why, itis of all things th e easy! Here is the name of worth Monsieur Nerotie, the morocco-leathe merchant, in whose business have a e . interest aud. who has known me m„ f life. Of course, he will present on, i And what is more dreadful yet she has Presently, the shrill little voice spoke tty son—only a dead Persmi." "What (10o yote see now? Tell me!" "Oh, that le very simple. It is, eie• doubt, ono of those new American dolls4 speaking slowly and clearly, in, a There is clockwork in its otonlach, lulu etraugely mechanical way, however, ye it sings: Mother, may 1 g nut to "a large room, with heavy crimson:it:1i- ewini to !' like a doll, and it talks sensibly, =eh "No, no! It is a machine, not at all ,, tall mime. There aro two other tains draped closely over its two big windows. Between the windows is a more so thau you often do, 1 tell you it esrms. very large ones, on the side wane, is' a thiug of mode. i do not sen why oppoeite each, ()thein huge gilded ge people ehould etty there ie no magic any frames. In the ornamentation of the is more. Surely, there used to be. a great walls and. ceiling; there la tallish gilding vs deal. Every ono knows that. And i since it was once, why should it not be and color, The genera], effect is gaudy, tawdry, vulgar, The center of the room ot , now? Tell me that, if you can, wise is occupied by a great round table, War- n- , one." ing a profusion of silverware, china, cut to "Well, what and I to do'? Would you glass and flowers. Covers are placed have me convene an ecclesiastical court? fax eight persons." to ' The church only nekes official coemiz- n ante of the devils now. We men of The hair of Anatole erected itself, o ecience ignore ham. while she went on in that impassioned aud precise description as if she had , "That which you Will do will be to a solemnly warn your master. Put him beenreadingfrom an auctioneer's cate- r© He 41most beheld the scene be- e, on his guard. I wash my hands of all fore him, as indeed he often had, for it further responsibility, now that I have ! told you." was one familiar to him. She had re - 3. I "Ali! My inaste; knows already. I lapsed into silence, while these thoughts have heard him 'a little witch.'" . • • • a.gitatecl Lim, and he began to have a I . e , ll you not beeselious, Josef ?" little hope that the Inspiration had. de - o her, when the evil-mmdea ma- y •How can I be salons when the in- chine en her left again administered a r toxication of joy at being near you n , makes nxo light-headed?" prod of its vocal needle, summoning her: v , "Then I snail leave you until you re- her: What else do you gain the normal heaviness of your. see? Tell me! Yoh must speak! I hea,d." s I will jest no more. tell my mas- "You command ttything!" thought His happy expectation was realized Monsieur Nerode Presented him, wit f, all due formality and Madame Girard' . 1 manner was as gracious as he cord( kayo desired. At the mune time, sh caused. him to feel Innieelf a person jus met for the first time, and. who, fe aught she knew to the contrary, wa only on a transient visit to the city Only once was that enforced o oblivion lightly twitched aside for an instant from the face of the agitate past. She had, when going to the pirmo, laid her bouquet upon a stand. After singing a sweet little Provencal ballad, as sho was about to rettehe her flowers, Anatole anticipated her and, offering them, said "Permit me." She took them, with just a single lies', of merry recollection in her bright eyes, and he knew she thought of his two re- turned bouquets. If he had thought her pretty in street- eostume, how infinitely more ravishing was her beauty in evening -dress. The dazzling whiteness of her exquisitely moulded bust and arms and the fully re- vealed grace of her slender neck and e admirably poised heiict were all fas- einations only now possible of realiza- tion, in their perfection. Her face, too, • had gained in character. In the roseate light reflected upon it by her broad hat, ;• land it!" ' No; stop! Don't go, Amandine, and couin e ter what you say," Anatole, in a rage. "I would kick out e "But adjure him that he must not let your insides if I could. get at youl" t madame know I have warned him. She Madame Girard obediently continued: r might never forgive me. And tell him, "Four eouples enter the room and s if he wants proofs, he ',shall have them. take places at the table. Anatole is • If he desires it, I shall put him in a among thein. A girl, whom he calls f closet where ho may •eee all, the next /canon, is leaning on his arm—" time madame makes h r incantations." Anatole in his excitement, forgetting ; "An airy closet, whe e he will not be where he stood, gave a jump and knock- ! overcome by the fumes f the brimstone ed Aor a pitcher, which foll upon the —only heliotrope." floor with a great smash, that, he ".A.h ! Then they are e doubtless, good thought, must alarin Madame Girarta, spirits. But how is 11.. to know when and he gave one glance at her, thinking the time arrive?" to then leap down and run. but, to Inc ; "eorop a long thread from ono of your profound surprise, she seemed to have rear windows, so that it shall fall near heard nothing. Ilvidently, she was con- ). • a window of our kitchen, where I may scions only of the voice of the machine reach it. When I mee her making ready, and what she saw and heard in the cry- ; I will give you a signal by pulling the dal ball. He listened again as she went thread, and, if he conies down, will ad- on: mit him by the rear door. She always "There is much jesting and laughing • practices her =lido in the forenoons." and frivolity. The tone of.'e the young , "He will be sure to collie; I will an- woman is not demure." sever for that. Any excuse which if- She s ioke witl "That mademoiselle is a charming variety of that new American iustru ment into which one talks that it may repeae what has•been•saicl." "And her interest in me is purely vi carious?" I am interested in believing so, sir.' "Olio! The maid. pleases your fancy, Josef?" c n e, fords an opportunity for seeing Madame and her utterance, becoming slower and Girard, under any ciicumstanees, will slower, ceased altogethdr with that gen- bo good fax him. where do came tie characterization of the demeanor of in—I, your devoted Josef?" • the young women, whieh, Anatole did "If you are very good, you may re- not question, was well within bounds. main inethe kitchen with me while mon- He again ventured to hope she had run sieur is in the closet." down—would not be etble to report any - it was lovely, bewiching; but now it ' "Amandine, yon have the word of a thing more. Alas! He had not taken showed mach more—it had become • Josef that I shall be , ood—of a lover into sufficient account the spur of that spirituelle. 1 that I will come." diabolical phonograph, which again After that evening Monsieur Duprez I Josef duly reported to his master the compelled her by its abominable squeak called very often upon Madame Girard strange story he had been told. Of of— and pabi eo1.utto her ardently, but with . comet, Ixe surmised the talkmg-machine "Won; you have not finished. Go on! small soccess. She was very kind, but . was a phonograph, with which flagon- Tell Inc all! You must see and tell • la he could not melt that idndness into ious invention he. had formeri. a sli lit s "As much as the mistress does that of monsieur?" "I hope you find her complaisant." "Maids are apt to be imitative. Un- til to -day, Mademoiselle Amandine was very coy." "From which you infer—" "That the ee-ind sits from another quarter in the sails of madame, also." "Alla! Already? Well, what did she wish to know about me?" "All things. From the time monsieur was in long clothes, I believe. I told her you were the only son of the brave General Duprez, from whom you had. !inherited a couple of millions—" "The deuce! You were piling it on rather heavy, my Mend." "I have always found that judicious lin dealing with the sex, monsieur. They ,are inclined to be Skeptical, and it is 'necessary to discount in advance the reductions they are sure to make upon !what we tell them. I also told her that :by judicious investments in solid com- mercial enterprises you had largely in- creased your fortune and were daily be - 'coming more wealthy." "Bat, rascal, if I hold my own, I con- sider I am. doing very eve19.;" "So do I, sir; but madame's wealth has been acquired ill trade, with which fsho must be more or less fainin liar, and, consequently, accunudation ha.s. a certain fascination for her. no doubt. Then, again, a young man's at- Itention to serious business encourages ithe assumption that he is 'steady'—a 'quality for which widows have a favor- etble prejudice." •ON• hen you leave off service, Josef, 'will you be a diplomat or a philoso- 'tt ex ". "Neither, monsieur. I shall keep a ,cabaret if I can persuade Mademoiselle ;Amenable to become my cashier." "And what did you tell her of tny diabits?" "All that monsieur would desire to have believed true." "A diplomatic answer. Let it go at 'that. And did not Mademoiselle Am- andine have anythinp; to say in ex- change for your veracious confidences?" "A. great deal, sir, Of course, I scaled her statements. Madame Girard is twem v -four years old." "Sehled or unsealed?" "lily scaled, sir. Amandine said twee "-one, and / added three." "Nt• !let is your ride?" "te ••e• twenty-two, avowed, add. feont .teVenty-two to twenty-five, .add five; from twenty-five to thirty, iseld ten. Beyond that, computations are oiselees." "You are ()belle right. (o on." "Madetne hes an -income of seventy. ' five thousand fraties per annum, nu - 0110. We will put that down at say ft thousand. Madame has had a hus- ago, "No eealinre on that." "No, sir. Only the one. I think that .ta *lit Finally, Madame has the tent - of an angel, the yirtne of a vestal, accomplishments of a paragon, and her pereolial charms4tre real." "All that, I ant confident, is quite trete." • Perkins, wiz& would swelyt as a fr take pleasure in advising hun. 1 Dr, G. W,. Perkins, eriginally ' 801110 'western town of the United St perhaps not down on. the• map, made himself, by the force a his en and genius, a distinguished mai Paris. Beiug an enthusiast in his fession, he had not been content graduating—even with honors—in of the principal medical schools o own country, but had sought to 1 yet more by personal study of Euro practice, particularly in the Vien and Parisian hoenitals. Natm•ally, fascinating branc;11 of Kleine), know hypnotism, attracted his attention very soon, as he found himself endo with exceptional power as a magnets engromed his interest. By this tim had achieved the distinction of rani in the estimation of the scientific Wo with the eminent Charcot and. the less great Binet and Fere. Not hypnotist, however, did Anatole th of soliciting his aha, but simply "wide-awake" American. "posted" all new inventions, "well -up" in ev department of knowledge and gi with a "sharpness" that seemed laid fax "seeing into things." With more amusement than he mitted to appear in his countonan Doctor Perkins listened to Auato tale of anxieties and. bewilderments, all its details. In concluding it, young man said, in a tone of passion 1•0{4.1.000.143001.41.1•111••••• ien4, "If your. d'o not, I knovosorwoll what will happen. Maclaine Gilmer Ned/4,111y emu require to, peruse few noise chapters ates, of my biography—with. the prAndieee had women have—when she will Wye xne ergy my dismiesaL Then—I shall hang ray- pro- sel'findo not think you evIt coneietoth withait 0110 cioaetho•erady have my plan," replied. f What the plan was and how it. worked earn, out will, in good time, be seen; fortAna- pean tole accepted. it with enthusiasm,. and nem the details were arranged at once.. The that two friend.; separated, with an engage - n as ment on the part of the doctor to•pre- and sent himself, early the next morning, at wed the apartments of Monsieur Duprez and zer, a determination by Anatole to devote e he lthnself to a programme which should, eing, he hoped, prevent Madame Girard again rid, getting at her oracle in the interim. ' on When she returned from her after -4 as a noon drive, he was waiting for her. He - ink • remained to dinner, Then he induced as a her to accompany him to the opera, on When the curtain had fallen on the last ert- act, he persuaded her to take a little fted supper with him. So he managed that tion her time was well occupied until as late an hour as possible; and, asf • per- ticable, he utilized every minute of the, ce, time in declaring to her his passionate la's tlevotion and vowing life-long fidelity. M. That shedid not hear him without in - the terest was evident but when he presied ate her to accept his hand .as well as his heart, she was coy, banteringly remind - ase ed him they were almost strangerse appeal: "So there you have the facts. Ple em, coquettishly affirmed that the glibness tell me frankly what you think of th How could that charming but alar young lady see such things in her ferm). :crystal ball? How could t diabolic machine know the pre moments in which to spur her appli tion to seeing them? 'And what is going to think of me if she contin those too well -directed gropings into infinite after the petty details of my p vete life prior to my acquaintance w her?" "The crystal -ball part of your sou what complicated preblem," repl Doctor Perkins, good-hurnoredly, simple enough. The age in which ro crystal was supposed to have inherent magical properties has gone lee A fixed gazing upon it by one whose cerebro- spinal system is supersensitive is apt to result in tho somnambulistic state of self-induced hypnotism to which Doctor W. B. Fahnestock,, in 1871, gave the name of statuvolism.' But the same effect would. be produced if the ball were of glass or polished metal. As you are, of coin's°, aware, the clairvoyant, in the somnambulistic siette, has what we may call psychic knowledge of things remote in time and space, as well as those which are near, and even of the thoughts of such persons as arc en rapport with her. Is her sight.limited to such things as aro already in the consciousness of some human. being which she can penetrate? This is a moot question. What it is of her that sees, how it sees and why it is o independent as it seems to be of the WS governing our waking life, science as by no means conclusively settled as et. For the present, we may as well accept the facts as known, without 0n -3 -lug our heads over the greatest fizzle of the age. The somoambule's tendon being fixed on the crystal ball, e sees and hears in that pellucid. mass t, 11 ing of his love -making betrayed an appall - in. ing amount of practice in amorous pro- hattestation and, withal, evaded giving hint e, , else a positive answer, But, at the last )1i., ea. moment, she relented so fax as to pro, she mise that in the afternoon of the next . ues day she would end his suspense with. either "y -es" or "no." . trill! "And 1 would wager my neck," said ith Anatole to himself, as he went up to his apartments, " that which it will be ne- depends upon the inspiration she gets jog. from the crystal ball to -morrow. And. • is it shall be 'yes,' for we will work the _ oracle." ck g me! 1. love. When. 1:e reproached her wi coldness, she laughed. "Sec, Moneieur Duprez," she said him, from my childhood I rememb having heard that • straw fires bla th and distant acquaintance at tie. time of "Woe to him who invented you! Mon- y the Exposition; but beyond that Amanl ster of hnpertineirc cuniosity!" ejaculat- a quickly and soon expire. So it is wi hasty devotiou and lightly sworn. fideli they do not last. The love you profe fax me is too young. It has not y grown to an ago of discretion. To ho it responsible would bo cruel." "Can you not read my devotion in e ,es!' "To use a shop -keeper's metaph.or, the ma dine's tale scenic, mysterious and im- ed Anatole. probable to him. And Monsleur Ana- "There is champagne—and m•ore er tole had very littlennore of either know- champagne," resumed q‘lademe Girard, at ze ledge or opinion in the premises than "One of the young women sings a song. sh his valet. But the4 matter was one de- Much of it is an argot I do not under- tl -63r! mending investigeflon. They have fully stand. The others join in a chorus of: in set s agreed upon and made all ready fax 'Telma la, la; tzing, Pa, la!' to which si id compliauce with the girl's directions. ' they beak time with a rattle of knives pr On tho second morning thereafter, . anti forks upon the plates and glasses. th Josef, who had long already been sit- The chorus ends with 'Boum.' Anatole 11237 ting in a rear room, with the thread - does not pay an excessive attention to the young woman he eels Nation. He becomes involved in a dispute with tin - other man, concerning a race which is to coino off. He melees a wager of a thousand francs that the horse Vence- , dor will win." She had not stopped speaking or given any indication of doing see .when again the impatient mischief-mainng machine pipped out, Its voice mingling with hers: • "Well, go on! See.more! Toll me an4hat was just what • she was doing, continuing without regard to it: "Anatole ASPS and says he is going home. Nanon does not want him to go, but he persists. He and another gentle- man depart. The six persons who re- main join again in the' chorus: 'Tzing, la, la!' Anatole and his friend light cigar,/ and stroll alongathe boulevard. to his club." 'Ah, I breathe again]" exclaimed her auditor. "Thank Heaven! It wasn't so verTbad that time!" le went on describing, with the same nicety of detail, his visit to kis club, but, seeming to become exhaust- ed, gradually ceased speaking and, as the phonograph no longer spurred her, appeared sleep 1.0 things which are purely subjectiv her consciousness only—or, at leas le imagines she does, which, for a actical purposes, amounts to the stun ing. "That's all there is about that "All right so far,, doctor; 1 und.e and that. But how about that en ianical raven, with its tireless croak o o on—tell—epeak--elet's have more o "1 think you said that once it sleek bile she was speaking?" "Evidently sho has had the ingeniou ea of making the phonograph suppl o place of a hypnotizer, whose com ands would compel her to put he lone toph. Without eteeh con ands, the hypnoteo is very apt to re pee into milence, a,bsee'bea th ions presented to her psychic sigh (1 disinclined for vocal effort. Thi adame Girard has probably lemma( d providee against by loading a phone aph cylinder with injunctions, at such ervals of time as experience ha girt her migf?,; be necessary to en •ce her continued speaking." 'It did seem to be a squeaking imita• n of her voice." 'Hers, no doubt. 'It would be suit. nt for the purpose. The conscious nenand of her woking self, repeated her sleeping self, would be obeyed, t if it were uttered by another son en rapport evith her." •Intet,---why should she take all that tibio to make herself talk?" tied to lns thiunb, called excitedly to hie paint a the sign is still too fresh; it'w rub off." "Let the sight of your soul penetra deeper than the sign in your eyes, a 1)01101(1 the goods within—the love whi fills my heart." "Ago increases the value of soun goods." "Ah, madame! Have you; vowed n to accept my heart until it has becom shop-worn?" ster: , eleloneieur? The signal! It is time!" ' They haatened doWn-stairs and were te admitted by Amandima who held a fore- od finger on her lips as t a pantomimic in- cli junction of silence. plain Josef. seated himself obedientlrand verrwillingly in d the kitchen, the giri1 conducted Mon- ; Pieur Anatole along an obscure passage- ot way to a large closetewhich was pretty e ' lightedweli Varougl a mall square windowhigh up in ono of its walls. She caused him to mount upon smnall table placed beneath that little window and then left him alone. The scene upon which he gazed in the adjoining t- compartment was indeed a strange one. Madame Girard, seated in. an easy - to chair, still in the act of comfortably ad- 1- lusting herself before a small table cov- ered and draped with black. She wore d a loose wrapper of some soft, clinging " white stuft, and her long, heavy hair r • fell unconfined upoif her shotdders. On u the table an ebony pedestal supported, almost at the height of her eyes, a per- footsphere of rock crystal, not less than CHAPTER III. THE ALARMING CRYSTAL DALL. One day Amanaine told Josef a frig ful thing. "Do you know, my dear," she said. him, "I have something on my col mien ce?" "Ah, you freeze my heart! I tense it. But—go on with your confession. "My confession? Aro you crazy laughing at nee? In any case, yo think I would confees on myself. No, confess on madame " ".&h, since it only concerns Mo • Duprez, my mind is easy." "Ent, wretch filet you are, will yo keep still until I shall have told you I am no doubt WrOng in not having mei Maned it before; with so good and get erous a young man as monsieur, oi &serves to bo frank—and I have no been. But, he shall know all before i is too late." "Heavens! I shudder for my master What must follow an exordium lik that? I am done shuddering—go on." "Josef, you are never serious, an that is sometimes wrong; now, for in stance, eince this is truly a grave mat ter. My mistress practices bloc magic 1" "Ain bah! There is no sneh thing.' "it is ignorant.of you to say so; ala Ungallant, since I have affirmed it. I is as I tell you. She has a ball of crysta as big as my head, in which she sum toms up at will, by incantatiens, places men, women, spirits, angels, devils— how do I know what all?—and talks with them. And she MOS in it what anybody is doing anywhere, if she de • • - six in- les in diameter. Beyond her, on ' another black table, stood aphonograph. 11 ' The walls of the small room were ? draped with dark -violet hangings the 1 , I Anatole fled to his apartments. 1- somber hue of which Boomed to absorb , 1- the light diffused directly above her ' CB APTER IV. . ! no slee 10 head from a translucent ilobe, doubt- I MACK MAGIC IMPLIFIED, : fled t less containing an incandescent electric too t . lamp. Having placed herself to her sat- The situation presented itself to Mon- RI 3, isfaction, she fixed her gaze intently sieur Duprez as one of horror, almost Ho 1 upon the crystal ball and remained justifying despair. What prospect, he sia 0 silent and. motionless during several asked imnself, worda. any young' man. minutes. have for martian if the woman he TCC st cl 'G it id th 111 vis 111 la vis an au int tau • tio Cie cm to jus per tro CHAPTER 17. SUBORNING TEE HONEST MONOGRAM At eleven o'clock the next morning, Josef reported another trig at the thread tied to his thumb, after the fashion of • the day before, "Come quickly!" said. Doctor Perkins to Anatole, with whom he was await- ing the signal. "It is essential to the success of.'ur experiment that we make haste. I must get control of her before she has become self -hypnotized. as other- wise my attempt might only throw her - into couvulsione." They rapidly descended the stairs and were met by Amenable, who noiselessly - conducted them to the closet. Madame Girard, at the moment when they beheld her through the little win- dow, was already seated and just about to fix upon the crystal lea]. the fixed gaze which would quickly transport her consciousness across the borders of the. unknown. Doctor Perkins, to his great satisfaction, recognized her at once as a woman who had, upon several occasions, tinder a pledge that her incognito should be respected, offered herself as a,- s subject for his experiments, and had demonstrated unusual sensitiveness. He had imagine(' her only motive a desire to enjoy the deep sleep of the hypnotee, but now suspected 'her of having had as r- deliberate purpose to develop such. e- neurotic conditions as would readily. in- duce statuvOlism. Whatever might 2 have been the objectlin view, oue result was certain; that rapport had then per- manently established between her and O her hy,pnotizer which would ever after give .1,3y and certelo. control. It s was, therefore, with perfect confidence y of success that he extended toward her • his hands, formulating in his mind, ✓ With a concentrated effort 92 the • comma ed "Sleep! I will it." The palms of his hands were downward; the fingers extended, their points converna• • ing but not touching each other; his attitude, that of authority; his neunten- ance, expressive of firmness and pro- - found calm. In a few seconds, without a struggle or even a glance at the crys- tal, Madame Girard sank back in her-,, • easy -chair in a deep sleep. "She is one of the,best subjects I over encountered," remarked the doctor, in. • his natural tone of voice. • "S -h! For Heaven's sake! You will wa,ko her up. Don't you see tho win- dow is open?" whispered. .Anatole, anxiously. here's no danger of her awak- ing uatil I tell her to do so. I have captured the control. Come, now; let us go around to her " Amenable then conducted. them to the door of the apartnient hitherto sacred to "madame's magic." They opened it, raised a portiere and entered. Anatole still walked upon tip -toe, not altogether assured of the continuance of that sleep which seemed to him too sudden to be reliable ; but Doctor Perkins moved with. as much freedom as if in his lecture - room and, after a glance to see that no, machinery had yet been set in motion, tspoonke as loudly as in ordinai7 converen- , "Admireble " said, chucklingly. "How. web she bas arranged her sur- roundings of light and color! I :wonder 1.2 evolved them herself or has had. instrution. And there, you see, as tole!. you, the second phonograph ready to do its part. She has not started it yet and you will see, if you examine, the cylinder is quite Olean of impressione. With what pretty stories it might be fined if we were not to interfere." You make my blood run cold by the suggestion." • "It is only a fancy; we are here to pre- vent its becoming a reality. Now conies the difficult part of my Work. When that cylinder commences revolving, we must be absolutely silent, for the sliht- est noise will infallibly be transferred to it, and it will never do to havktt sneak (Corrttaml) ton 7.) The soannandmle has, upon awaking, remembrance of the visions seen in p. My friend, you would be justi• in fearing that woman. She Mu much cunning for any mere man, orn. could have looked into that por- iof the room below your line of ht, I run sure you would have seena end phonogreeph also at work busily ording every word she uttered." Ah! Her reporter 1" Precisely. Sho „ awakes, knowing nothing but that she has been asleep, But that does not trouble her. All she has to do 1st.) reverseethe apparatus and listen. The phonograph will not lie." "it won't, eh? Well, that is ;ist what it ham got to do, shall be ruined. (meld we not, evith Amandme's derts4ituto a specially instructed cylin sub I fear flint schene, would not work, command her dOnfidence it wonla e to bo 'lod d' own voie, would detect an imposition at once." ut there must be some Way. COMO! peal to you e,s an Amerian. What e nee of being an American if yOU Ot find out some Plan for doing any- , heye's eornething in that. reckon 11 have to, if only for the national teflon." lighted a pipe nod cogitated. uttole protestd: , sought were abbe to but his life nodes Suddenly, a small, shrill penetrating minute inspection in that ' voice broke thes e etillns with the word: "Well? What doyousee? 'Tell me what yon behold." The voice was not that of Maclaine 4.( irara, yet seemed to resemble hers, or, • rather, to be a reminder of it. Anatole . realized that ehe ima, by some inotime he had failed to observe, started the phonograph, which was speaking. Its demand reached her hearing as well as his, for she replied to it: "Nothing; only clotnis-sloev, rolling clouds, without form, void and of un - . . "The deuce! That /night be awk- werd, 0 true. But your condition alarms Ine, my pigeon. Do you often have spells of imagining things like that?" "I imagine nothing. My mistress sees those things and deseribes thein, so that / can almost see them myself. Some- time, she pays, /Tamps I env, but 1 certain m wtint, seeing` to •ceaselessly in - wive and evolve themselves." ' Anatole wondered that he could hear her soft, mellow voice so plainly, until he discovered that the little window throngh Which gaied was pendent from hinges at the tdp and had been cimpingly swung a little way outvgard, ot the hottom, 8o that 4(! was practical- ly m the same rocan with her, so far qs fashion? He did not blievappalling- e he had been any worse then others; indeed, he flattered hiinself that, if there had been anything exceptional in bus career, it had been on the side of propriety. And yet, what must be the view Maclaine Girard would take of it? Was there no way of putting s stop to her views? Amandine was quite right in saying it was black magic—but black magic with modern scientific attachments. The crystal ball was old as thaumaturgy it- self and really seemed to have a good deal in it, notwithstanding the poolopoohings of an enlightened age. But how had she been able to corrupt the young and peestunably innocent phonograph, making it a partner in her eerie cantraps? The problem, he de. Med, was too much for hino and well 1 worthy the eonsideratiOn of some thor- • ough scientist. By great good. luck he knew one no donbt capable of grappling With witl it th To hay She 4,k) is ea carn thief I she repu Ile 1 , e Ameriean nr• G W • • A t