The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1906-12-31

ness of the place it seemed to possess
q disproportionate weight, almost the
weight of a familiar thing. Then with
sudden. unanalyzed touch of relief,
he located the impression. 1t was the
similarity to Lady BramfelIs sweet,
slow tones that had stirred his mind.
With a sense of satisfaction he drew
the chair forward and sat down.
Then for the first time he saw that
on the other side Of the gauze partition
and below 1t by 4 few inches was q
small table of polished wood, on which
stood an open book q crystal ball and
gold dish filled with ink These were
arranged on the side Of the table near
est to him, the farther side being out
of his range of vision. An amused In
terest touched him as he made his posi-
ton more comfortable. Whoever this
woman was, she had an eye for stage
management, she knew how to mar
shall her effects. He found himself
waiting with some curiosity for the
next injunction from behind the cur
tain.
THE art of crystal gazing" began
the sweet, slow voice after pause, sis
one Of the oldest known arts" Loder
sat forward. The thought Of Lady
Bramfell mingled disconcertingly with
some other thought more distant and
less easy to secure.
ITO obtain the best results" went
on the seer, 1.-The subject lays his I'M
HC
| smooth surface" 1t was evident that
the Invisible priestess was reading
| from the open book, for when the
| word surface" was reached there
was a slight stir that indicated the
! changing Of position and when the
voice came again it was in a different
| tone.
please lay your hands, palms down
ward, upon the table"
Loder smiled to himself in the dark
ness. He pictlSed Chilcote with his
nerves and his impatience going
j through this ordeal; then in good hui
mored silence he leaned forward and
! obeyed the command. His hands
rested on the smooth surface of the
table in the bar of light from the I'M
1 seen lamp.
There was a second in which tie
seer was silent; then he fancied that
she raised her head.
| You must take off your rings" she
said smoothly. ANY metal interferes
with the sympathetic current"
At any other time Loder would have
laughed, but the request so casually
and graciously made sent all POSSIBLE
! ity OF Irony far into the background
The thought OF Chilcote and of the
one flaw in their otherwise fawless
scheme rose to his mind Instinctively
| he half withdrew his hands.
where is the sympathetic current?"
he asked quietly. His thoughts were
busy with the question of whether he
would or would not be justified in
! beating an undignified retreat.
Between you and me, Of course
said the voice softly. 1t sounded Ian
guild, but very rational. The idea Of
retreat seemed suddenly theatrical In
this world of low voices and shaded
lights people never adopted extreme
measures-no occasion made a scene
practicable or even allowable. He
leaned back slowly, while he summed
up the situation. If by any unlucky
chance this woman knew Chilcote to
have adopted jewelry and had seen
the designs of his rings the sight Of
his own SCARED finger would suggest
question and comment If, on the
other hand, he left the pavilion with
out excuse or if without apparent rea-
son he refused to remove the rings, he
opened up Il new difficulty, a fresh
road to curiosity. 1t came upon him
with unusual quickness-the obstacles
to and the need for q speedy decision.
He glanced round the tent; then IN
consciously he Strengthened his Shout