Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-12

FL CledT IQaL L KNEW nO Icpll W suCu Oil Op6Q-
ing 1 thought 1 would try little expert
ment and put out my hand, not with the
slightest conception OF any particular move
In my hand, but simply to see what hap
pened. Instantly a grasp fastened on my
wrist; nv hand was guided -to-king's
knights pawn a single square.
This was getting, from every point of
view, to be distinctly interesting. The
chessmen appeared to be possessed of q
property Of which Bobineau had been un-
aware. I caught myself wondering if he
would have insisted on higher price if he
had known OF it. Cuuosities nowadays do
fetch such fancy sums-and what price for
ghost? They appeared to De automatic
chessmen, automatic in a sense entirely their
own.
Having made nv move, or having had
somebody else's move made for me, which is
perhaps the more exact way of putting it,
contemplated nv antagonist. When be saw
what / had done, or what somebody else had
done-the things are equal-St. Seryan
frowned. He belongs to the bony variety,
the people who would not loll in chair to
save their llves-his aspect struck me as
being even more poker-like than usual. He
meditated hisreply an unconsciouable length
of time, the more unconscionable since
/ strongly doubted if it would be his reply
after all. But at last ne showed signs of
action. he kept his eyes fixed steadily upon
the board, his frown became pronounced.
and he began to raise his hand. / write
began because it was process which took
some time. Cautiously he brought it up,
inch by inch. Rut no sooner had he brought
it over the board than his behavior became
quite singular. He positively glared, and
to my eyes seemed to be having a struggle
with his own right hand. A struggle in
which he was worsted, Tor he leaut back in
his seat with a curiously discounted air.
He had moved queens rocks pawn two
squares-the automatic principle which i'm
PEELED these chessmen seemed to have par
tiality for pawns.
1t was my turn for reflection. 1 pressed
the tobacco down in my pipe, and
thought-or tried to think-it out. Was
it an hallucination, and was St.
Servan the victim of hallucination, too?
Had / moved those pawns spontaneously,
actuated BY the impulse of my own free will,
or hadn't 1? And what was the meaning of
the little scene l had just observed? 1 am
tolerably strong man. 1t would require no
slight exercise Of torce to compel me to move
one piece when had made up mind that
would move another piece instead. l have
been told, and l believe not altogether un-
truly told, that the rigiditv of nv right
wrist resembles iron. l have not spent so
much time in the tennis court and fencing
room for nothing. had tried one expert
ment. 1 thought 1 would try another. 1
made up my mind that 1 would move
queens pawn two-stop me who stop can.
felt certain that ST. Servan in his turn
was watching me. Preposterously easy
though the feat appeared to be as 1 resolved
on its performance, I was conscious of an
unusual degree OF cerebral excitement-a
sort of feeling of do or die But as in spite
of the feeling, didn't do. it was perhaps as
well didn't die. Intending to keep con-
troll over my own muscles, raised nv right |
hand, probably 10 the full as cautiously as
ST. Servan had done. 1 approached the |
queens pawn. I was just about to seize |
the piece when that unseen grasp fastened |
on my wrist paused, with something of |
the feeling which induces the wrestler to |
pause before entering on the veritable tug |
OF war. For one thing, / was desirous TO |
satisfy myself as to the nature of the grasp
what it was that seemed to grasp me.
1t seemed to be hand. The fingers went |
over the back of my wrist and the thumb |
beneath. The fingers were long and thin
it was altogether slender hand. But it |
seemed to be a mans hand, and an old \
mans hand at that. The skin was tough and |
wrinSled, clammy and cold. On the little |
finger there was ring, and on the first,
about the region of the first Joint appeared |
to be something of the nature OF a wart. 1 |
should say that it was anything but beau |
tifIl hand, it was altogether too attenuated |
and clawlke, and would have betted that |
1t was yellow with age.
AT first the pressure was slight, almost as
slight as the touch of a bsby's hand, with a
gentle inclination to one side. But as kept
my own hand firm, stiff, resolved upon my
own particular move, with, as it were, a
sudden snap, the pressure frightened and, not |
n n 41ft1ra II fa1X
held as in an iron wise. Then, as it must
have seemed to st. Servan, who.
1 was aware, was still keenly watch
ing me, l began to struggle with
my own hand. The spectacle might have
been fun to him, but the reality was, at that /
moment, anything but fun to me. l was
dragged to one side. Another hand was
fastened upon mine. NY fingers were forced
open-I had tightly cleuched my fist to
enable me better to resist-my wrist was
forced down, nv fingers were closed upon a
piece, was compelled to move it forward,
my fingers were untastened to replace the
piece upon the board. The move completed,
the unseen grasp instantly relaxed, and /
was Tree, or appeared to be free, again to
call my hand my own.
I had moved queens rocks pawn two
squares. This may seem comical enough to
read about, but it was anything but comical
to feel. When the thing was done stared
at St. Servan, and st. Servan stared at me-
We stared at each other, 1 suppose, good
long minute, then broke the pause.
Anything the matter?' 1 inquired. He
put up his hand and curled his mustache,
and, ii may say SO, he curled his lip as
well. DO you notice anything odd about
about the game? As / spoke about the
game 1 motioned my hand toward nv brand
new set of chessmen. He looked at me with
hard, suspicious eyes.
Is it trick OF yours?' he asked.
IS what trick of mine?'
If you don't know, then how should To-
1 drew a Whit or two from my pipe, look
ing at him keenly all the time, then signed
toward the board with my hand.
It's your move said.
He merely inclined his head. There was
momentary pause. When he stretched out
his hand he suddenly snatched it back
again, and half started from his seat with a
stifed execration.
Did you leel anything upon your wrist?'
I asked.
Mon DieuI 1t is not what feel-see
thatP
He was eyeing his wrist as he spoke. He
held 1t out under the glare of the lamp. 1
bent across and looked at it. For so old
mar he had phenomenally white and deli
cate skin-under the glare of the lamp the
impressions of fnger-marks were plainly Wis
ible upon his wrist. 1 whistled as saw
them.
Is it trick of yours?' he asked again.
1t is certainly no trick of mine
Is there anyone in the room besides us
two?'
1 shrugged my shoulders and looked
round. He too looked round, with some-
thing 1 thought not quite easy In his
glance.