The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-04-15
CHAPTER II.

! I at first thought my friends mind
! had become temporarily unbalanced
| from some unknown cause, but as he
concluded, his tone and manner was
so natural and convincing that l
could no longer doubt his sanity.
watched him narrowly, however, with
a keen professional instinct, but dis
covered nothing to in any way dis
pei this impression.
How are you going to get this in
formation?" | presently asked.
"As soon as the spirit of a human
being is liberated by DEATH" he went
on. at enters an astral body SINH
lar in every way to the body it in
habited on earth-with the exception
that the astral body is perfect. Moth
ing is lost in Nature. AS your cigar
is consumed by fire, you have the
ashes left, which, with the gases and
smoke would make identlcally the
same volume. Only the elements are
chemically different, yet, atom for
atom, the ashes, gases and smoke are
identical with the original bulk So it
is with the human body. After the
spirit takes its leave, the body is
like the ashes of the cigar, the soul
or spirit like. the fragrance of the
weed. 1t enters it's astral counter
part and does not return to earth un-
less compelled to do so by strong
| er mentality"
What do you mean by that?" l
asked with absorbing interest, no
longer doubling his mental equilib-
rum.
Exactly what l say" he answered
lingering the weapon on the table
! absently. at is a most natural con-
clusion that a man of strong mental
endowments or will-power is easily
able to influence or exact obedience
from one of inferior faculties. If /
succeed in bringing the astral shade
of the dead artisan who made this,
back to earth, l shall certainly CON-
pei him to divulge his secret, and
thus prove to you my contention"
He cleared the table, found pen
Gil and pad which he deposited there
on, and taking the ancient ornament
in his hand leaned back in the chair
and closed his eyes. Everything be.
came still as death itself The large
square jaws closed firmly. Gradual.
| ly his shaggy brows contracted into
narrow perpendicular ridge of in.
| exorable determination. The cords
in his neck swelled and stood out
| hard as steel rods. His broad chest
labored heavily, the air from his
| lungs escaped in whistling sound
with each respiration. His aspect
was awesome in its sublime intensity
and unalterable fxity of purpose.
Finally, saw the sternness of his
yisage relax just little, and the ia.
cial muscles controlling the emotions
of satisfaction and triumph were
| brought into play-not sufficiently
however, to efface the lines of deter,
mination and compelling obedience
that seemed to be chiseled as in a
face of bronze.
Il have conquered at lastl Take
that pencil and write me the formula
for making and poisoning the metal
Of which this dagger is made"
1t was Johns voice, but so strange
and unfamiliar in its commanding
authority that never would have
recognized it.
"Obey!"
The word fell upon my ears like
a thunder-bolt Then a strange thing
happened. The pencil which had
been lying on the table assumed an
upright position, and though held by
no visible hand, Travelled over the
surface of the paper tracing unfami-
liar characters of straLgest formation.
Slowly the pencil moved in uncanny
deliberation, marking signs with now
and then reluctant pause.
At the end Of the third page the
pencil stopped, remained upright for
few seconds. then rapidly comDlet.
ed few more differently formed