The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-11
THE FARMER: MAY II, 1912

conscious of it." ..s.,.. Jack looked at him, not altogether without bewilderment You really believe that-that stuff?"
 "Oh, yes; and I'm not pioneer in the belief. The men who declare the stuff most stoutly are scientists who have given it most attention"
 How do they prove it?"
 They don't prove ft-that IS, not universally. Each man must do that for himself, MT. Brook1eld."
 The Justice smiled patiently. "Well. I'll tell you all know of it." at the end of the table-was leaning forward on the table in his eagerness. The Justice again put down his hat, and with the manner of a man who felt that he was performing 8 duty to an inquirer. and with an entire absence Of display, he said, In a voice the melody and modulat!on of which Brookfield was beginning to notice pleasantly.
 Every thought is active-that is. born of desire-and travels from us. or 1t is born of the desire of some them out or we take them in-that is all."
 'How do we know which we are doing?''
 "If we are idle and empty-headed our brains are the play-rooms for the thoughts of others-freQuently rather bad. If we are active, whether be- nevolently or malevoIently, our brains are work-shops-power- was passively regarding the picture. Your active idea of the price registered, that is all; so did your wish to know where I was from"
 Brookfeld moved earnestly and un- in n <>I1 iy 3n Ia ri od 3r1. effectual1y to say something, and then. out of the rush of questions that clamored for answer. he blurted: You say 'our brains Do you still include mine?"
 .'Yes.n
 'sYou said mine more than the ma- jortty of men'sf''
 'I think so.''
 Why hasn't this-whatever it is-- effect happened to me. then?"
 '1t has,
 why didn't I know it?'
 Yanity-perhaps."
 'Yes-often some friend has broach- ed some independent subject. and you have said. T was just going to speak of thah myself'
 "Very often; hut--''
 Believing the idea was your own. your vanity shut out tho probably proper solution that 1t was his"
 well, how then does a man tell which of his thoughts are his own?"
 'tIt's difdcult-most of his idle ones are not. When we drift we are with the current. To go against 1t, or make even an eddy of our own, we that is helpless"
 "swen, I haven't been exactly help less," Jack said. smiling.
 'No one would call you so, MT. Brookfield-you have a strong psychic "a strong hypnotic power"
 You think so?''
 ''I know it.'
 s'This business?" Breokfiell mim- icked the stereotyped gesture of the mesmerizer
 '"That business answered Prentice. smiling at the word, flor the begin ner."
 "You mean that I could hypnotise anybody"
 Many persons-yes; but wouldn't do 1t if I were you.'' And the Jus tice took his hat to go.
 Why not?"
 sGrave responsibility. s'In what way%'
 The Justice inhaled deeply, as If to embark upon an extended exp1ana- ton; then Brookfeld saw a wave of fatigue and amusement cross his face as the extent of his proposed under taking evidently. appalled, him. Per- ceivfng that his host yves aware of smile distinctly paternal:
 ''In send you book about tiff may.'
 "Instructions?"
 "And cautions-yes. If you tire of your Corot''-the Justice turned again to the door and the picture hanging beside it-'I should be glad to hear &ArNw~ RyAv
 why can't save postage by just thinking another price?" bantered following the Justice out of the library.
 as he replied:
 '.The laws on contracts haven't yet recognized that form of tender
 Brookhe1d had said goodnight to his visitor, and was lingering, thought fully, in the hallway when the sound of raised voices reached his ears. He hurried back to the library, wonder laugh, what mischief he was up to now.
 Despite Eflinger's efforts to control Denning the latter had continued to annoy Clay and Viola in their very amateur attempts at billiards, and several trips across the hall to the sideboard in the dining-room had not tended to improve his pleAsantries. From mere playfulness his intrasions had taken on the character of oppo- sition; this opposition had developed into ugliness, and finally into aggres- sion. In all of these phases his att tack had been secretly aggravated by who saw with delight the boy, under the strain and irritation, appearing in less and less favorable light before Viola.
 Once when Deuninx had confronted Clay at the rail of tho billiard-table. both Ellinger and Viola, who with Hardmuth consisted the remaining company in the billiard-rooill, had no- ticed the. boy suddenly quail and turn away from his tormentor. As Den l ping again approached him they heard Clay suddenly call out in evident ter TOT:
 Don't como near me with that 
 The eccentricity of Clays aversion called Ealinger's attention to the pin l which the young millionaire was ordinary .stick-pin fitted 1 with the semiprecious stone common 1 ly known as a cat's-eye.
 Denning. in his intoxication. was hardly to be blamed for not under l standing the character of C1ay's ob- 1 jection to his scarf-pin; Ellinger him l self didn't understand it; but the boys excitement when the pin came l within the range of his vision was only too evident.
 As Denning followed him Clay threw l his cue on the table and started to leave the room. Denning, in a re- turn of playfulness. caught the boy l