The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-01-10
| DANGEROUS GIFT.

modus operandi'' of mesmerism; he
had no thought of the possibility OF
throwing Van Tassel into trance;
but, after his first momentary sur
prise, he was quick to see that the
chance which had befallen him might
be made to prove very lucky one.
Although he was profoundly Ignorant
on the subject Of psychology in all its
phases, he had, as he would have
said, "picked up something of the jar
go1," and this he now proceeded to
make use of.
He brought q couple of pillows
from sofa; and, having place ed them
nnder the professors head, in order,
as he told himself, that "poor old
Van sha'n't get a crick in his neck"
he drew q chair in front of him, sat
down 80 that he could keep his gaze
on the worn, pale, unconscious face,
and began to catechise him III low,
incisive tone.
care you asleep?" he asked.
To this there was, at first, no re-
ply. Stanley saw the speakers face
switch and lips unclose in the effort to
speak, but no sound issued there
from. He repeated the question at
intervals of a minute, and when this
had been done several times Van Tas-
sells voice was suddenly heard, clear
and distinct, but sounding as though
it came from distance. The effect
was weird and startling, as if speech
had suddenly proceeded from gal
vanized corpse, and the words were
calculated to increase this effect.
"I am outwardly asleep, but my
spirit is fully awake and willing to
help you"
Stanley's heart bounded with tri-
umph. He felt that his experiment
was becoming very interesting.
"Can you read this parchment" he
asked, indicating the mysterious
cipher.
can that is written or traced on
that side we have already made out;
the key, to twill be found in the man
uscript now in the possession OF the
Senorita Mendoza"
"What manuscript" exclaimed
Stanley, for he could not remember
having spoken to Van Tassel on that
subject. II have said nothing about
o manuscript"
"No; but you are thinking of it at
this moment, and I am now in COM
munication with your mind, so that I
can read your inmost thoughts"
Stanley involuntarily recoiled with
such force as to send his chair back
ward several feet. What man, even
, of the most pure and noble mind,
would be willing to submit his inmost
thoughts to another? The situation
was particularly startling to the Hon
orable Clarence Stanley. A faint smile
passed over the professors face, and
his next words had touch of satire
to the ear of his listener.
Don't be alarmed" Van Tassel
continued; 81 shall know nothing of
oil this when I return to ordinary con-
sciousness. Go on, get all the infor-
nation you can; it is not safe to keep
me in this condition too long"
Stanley drew breath of relief, and
hastened to put his ideas into the form
of questions.
Glow can gain possession of that
manuscript"
'To do so will be difficult, perhaps
impossible; but you have already
spoken to Polly Hamilton about being
present when the manuscript is read.
That is your opportunity. You must
arrange the details yourself"
Cant you tell me what the mnnu-
script contains?"
81 can tell you nothing except what
is either mirrored in your own mind
Or connected with some object in this
room. Ny vision does not travel, it
cannot leave the atmosphere controlled
by your thoughts. T can feel that the
manuscript is connected with the
cipher, because both are in your mind"
"And the cipher, then? Can you
tell me no more of that?"
"Look on the other side Of the
parchment"
Stanley seized the parchment eager
iy, and turned it over.
IO In AC SdlO, Will al az
cent of bitter disappointment; there
is nothing on it at all--not line-not
O mark!'
apparently 80, and yet can see it
closely covered with fine writing.
Hold it for few moments before the
fire."
Feeling very much as if he was in a
dream or had passed into new exist
ence, Clarence Stanley did as he had
been directed, and to his amazement
be saw, under the action of the glow
Ing heat sent out by the blazing Goals,
word after word and line after line of
fine writing come into existence on
the hitherto blank side of the parch-
ment.
!. OF course he understood the mys-
i terry in o moment. The writing had
been done by means Of some chemi-
'ically prepared ink, visible only under
the action Of heat. The writing was
so fine and close-the piece Of parch-
ment being small--that he was obliged
to find magnifying glass before he
could read it, This took some time,
and when he had tried the glass he
found the writing already so faded and
indistinct that he could with difficulty
make out word or two, which only
served to show him that the language
was Spanish. the same as. headed the
mysterious cipher on the other side.
"Confound the man who invented
this puzzle" he thought. ''But, no!