The herald., 1898-04-17
tCopyright, 1898, by The International
Literary and News Service.l
PART l.

London had passed through the or
deal of the silly season in the year o
grace IS, and the people who had lie'
from the horrors of city fogs, or Wh'
had declined to run the risks Oh th'
biting winds of March, had now most
ly returned to town.
The assassination of a well knowf
Radical leader; the mysterious disap
pearance of q Society beauty IRON
the country house at which she was
at the time staying; several terrible
crimes, such as every now ana agar
break out like the pestilence, IN th'
East End had all paled, and Tor
time been forgotten by reason OF the
sensation of the hour-an event Whlcf
had occurred in a London drawing
room.
1t had followed SO speedily lecture
upon the Dangers and Uses oil fiyp'
notism," delivered in one of the largest
buildings in London by a young sclen-
tist and journalist, Evan Grant, thai
men of learning in every capital II
Europe had had their attention riveted
to the occurrence and were engaged II
striving to obtain a solution of the
mystery.
The darkened window of the room
in which Ethel Vallance-the heroine
of the romance-lay in hypnotic
condition, was pointed out by police
men, busmen, and cabbies to the
crowds of passers-by, which increased
daily as the season advanced.
Amongst all the papers which print
ed what are known as authentic de-
tails, none, it was frankly admitted on
all hands, was so really well informed
as the Torch which a year before
had suddenly sprung into existence to
revolutionize the Press. Upon its staff
We're the most brilliant writers and
thinkers of the day, whilst the special
editions and missions undertaken on its
behalf had made it at the same time
of almost worldwide interest and i'm
portance. And amongst the many able
pens contributing to its pages, there
was none ADLER than Evan Grants. En-
joying exceptional advantages, he pos
sessed also equally exceptional ability
No young man, for he was scarce
eight and twenty, was more sought af-
ter; none went more into society, nor
knew a greater number of people worth
the knowing.
He had come almost direct from
Cambridge to take up an important
position in the Offices of the Torch" p"
Old hands said that such thing was
unheard of. and shook their heads,
many of which had grown gray in the
service of the Public and solemnly de-
clared that their chief must be mad,
and that the thing would never do"
Evan Grant went on his way quietly
however, taking no notice of these
prophets of evil.
He was an advanced thinker upon
most subjects, an earnest student of
science, and in addition was an untir-
ing seeker after new scientific and
other phenomena; and so it was not
strange that the subtle power of hyp-
notism should prove itself an irresist-
ible attraction to him. He had attend
ed almost all the scientific discussions
that had taken place before the event
in which London was now so much in
terested occurred, and no man had
probably yet come so near solving the
weird power which some minds possess
over others Of weaker or kindred intel
lect.
In all London he had found but one
woman-amongst the many he had
spoken to and seen-who had, by the
like to his own, proved an apt pupil,
and that women was Ethel Valance.
He had known her when they We're
children together, and he had renewed
the acquaintance at the house of his
chief, Mr.. Murray-editor of the
"Torch,"-who resided in one of the
more modest of the houses IN Cumber-
land Gate. 1t was on the night of the
l,a hull
ering which took place at the EDITORS
home was a fitting end to a prosper
Gus year.
well, Grant" exclaimed Mr.. Val
lance, as late in the evening he an
preached the corner where for some
time he had observed his daughter and
the young journalist in interested con-
Versation; Il see you're caught at last.
MY daughter has been worrying me for
days to get you introduced to her,
haven't you, puss? She's an ardent be-
lever in hypnotism, and all that sort
OF thing, and reads everything she can
get hold of bearing upon the subject.
And, by the way, that reminds mel
May we not expect you next Thursday
evening? Professor Spinoza of Munich
will be with us. He tells me his latest
experiments have resulted in some very
wonderful results and discoveries. But.
come, Ethel, you have monopolized Mr.
Grant quite long enough for tonight.
want you to know Val Strange. as
he is painting my portrait"
After parting with them, Grant took
a turn or two round the rooms in COM
pany with one of the Misses Murray.
He made his adieu, and at length
gained the cloak room.
The leaden-hued sky bore traces of
the coming dawn as he stepped out into
the keen fresh air Of the April morn
ing, and the candles in the lamps of
the carriages had already begun to
burn with q dull yellow flame. grow
ing more and more sickly of hue as
daybreak approached. As he passed
through the long deserted streets to his
chambers in Victoria street, his foot
steps echoing loud and sharp on the
pavement, keeping tune to the waltz he
had heard just as he left, he found
himself involuntarily thinking of Ethel
Valance.
Although it was Miss Vallance's sec
ond season she was still much dis
cussed, and continued to arouse that
keen interest which generally attaches
full girl in her debutante stage, but
which frequently Wanes rapidly after
her first or second season.
She was lovely-upon that there could