The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-13

instead of leading to an expected col lapse, resulted in an astonishing re- Enforcement. Viola also. under the unsuspected power, like endurance and similar increase of strength where depletion had been looked for.
 What was the secret of this enerEy? From what region did 1t come? There seemed no merely physiological ex- planation of it; in his own case Brook field was sure that no material ex- do to submit an analogy between the training of a muscle of his arm, for example, and the training of some mental faculty the growth Of which might account for the added power of which he was progressively aware. The force within himself was deeper than intellection-at least, was quite independent of all conscious mental action; and when he had unreservedly lent himself to its expression it seem ed to flow through him as through a noutlet suddenly discovered and as from a reservoir of inexhaustible storage.
 This figure, once suggested to, the powerfully graphic mind of Brook field, quickly shaped itself into a pic- ture illustrative of the hypothesis he sought:
 Back of the visible universe as it presented itself to his mind Brook field saw an infinite, intelligent force pressing for expression. He saw men and women as so many avenues through which the force might flow. He saw it flowing freely and more freely through those who submitted themselves to it's action. Where av- arice would retain the flow to selfish ends he saw the force arrested and the man, no longer normal to it's cur rent, clogged and stified with the sed- iment of accumulation, the force itself withdrawn to other channels. Where craft and ambition would misdirecf and apply the force, he saw 1t meas urabiy lessenedi the agent distorted and mfsshapen.
 Brookf1eld smiled at the simp1iuity of the picture he had conjured, tho childiShness of it. He remembered that every inspirational fanatic who had become public nuisance, 1T not a menace, had considered himself 2 passive medium to the will of force divine and infinite. Better remain q pratical gambler. sordidly but saneiy dickering for immunity with corrupt officials, than reform in a. hospitality to such vagaries as this.
 Brookf1eld as he sat there neditat- ing in his Hbary laughed dloud He was the only auditor of his laugh. and as auditor he was not fully pleased. The laugh had discomforting arti- f1ciality-it was not his own. Brook> field felt that there was another pres ence in the room.
 He looked quickly about.
 He walked to the doorway and turn- ed the electric switch, thereby oouD- ling the light. in the hall-a glance up and down the respective stairways and then he came back, turning o1f the added light as he did so. The library was unpleasantly shadoWy. The sense of another presence per sisted. Over his shoulders and through his scalp there crept that Justice Prentice had first looked at him. and again on the occasion or Prentice's visit to this room. Brook. field reached to the wall and turneo the nearest switch. The hood or lamps over the Corot threw tneif dispelled the shadows from the cor ner of the room. There was mo- thinx to be seen but the familiar ob-' jects-the paintings on their back ground of garnet velvet, the rows or books, the inert face of the dead em- fs sDn. 1n n is patenf sna sis ss eyes
 He crossed to the dfning-room, passing over that end of the rug from which Denning's body had been lifted just after Clay had killed hdm. The memory added nothing to his agita- tion-on the contrary. it rather steadied him. being part of the .tang1- ble problem in which he was involv- ed
 Brookfield turned on the light in the dining-roOm. No one was there. From the sideboard a thousand facets danced their elaborate tribute of good cheer One stately decanter gleamed in, ifo "a It invoked a thought of ElAnger-- how that old comrade would laugh at Jacks present fantasy If he could know of iti He poured out drink. The very character of the action, ordi- nary and commonplace. put his feet the whiskey-to swallow it meant fear it meant even more. As Brookfeld considered his condition and the inn pulse to drink he felt that any volun- tary benumbdng of the sensitiveness he had developed would be retreat would be kind of disloyalty. He put the untasted liquor back upon the sideboard and returned to the lih rary, repeating positively but some. what mechanically the word "disloy- a1ty." The uncanny illusion of the old Justices presence was gone. Brookfield was alone in his room with it's fondly familiar furniture and flt-
 
 the reiterant word-"disloyalty.'
 ''Disloyalty ?-Whose? ?"
 Your own!''
 "Dfsloyalty to what?"
 TO your ddeal!
 The tendency of things to swim went by; Brookfeld was himself again the centre of a calm.
 That was an attack of nerves" he said to himself, worthy of an inmate of the Old Ladies' Homei What time is it, I wonder?" His watch showed twenty-nine minutes after midnight. 'I'll see Monroe in the morning and get him to give me a sedatfve."
 But he knew in his heart that he lied.
 Two days after the night on which Brookfield had experienced what he called 'an attack of nerves he re- ceived letter which read as follows:
 My dear MT. Brookffeld:I am sending you second book upon tele- pathy and kindred subjects. This is the book which, on the occasion of my visit to your home, promised to send to you. It has a very instruc- tive consideration of the phenomena of hypnotism and some speculation upon the ethical question unavoidably associated with the use of that force. The first book that I sent you upon the subject of psychic phenomena I regarded as an essential preparation for the one I am sending tonight. I had not meant, however, to impose between the two books a probation ary interval of such uncomplimentary length, but the rude fact is that forgot the second one until today. My will at once appear when r IL, &I, I~~ s-