The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-01-17

it walks heavily on its heels. It is a noble
pohce-the agent of your mighty English
Law. d. l see him even now approaching
coming to arrest that thief! . But
stay-why grows the crystal Clouded and
dull? . All, know! 1t is telling me that
the thief is also near. In this village.
i. In this house. =. . In this hall . d.
There is hand deep down in the crystal to
indicate that wicked thief. And it points
straight over there"
And Chanler Rao's own long finger shot
out towards the alcove where the servants
were assembled. An indignant murmur Of
expostufation at once arose from that
quarter. But Rao imperiously checked it
at once.
''The innocent" said he, "have naught
to fear. But let the guilty one tremble-he
cannot escape. One chance only will
/ offer him. Before go farther, he shall
have two minutes as an opportunity for
Confessing, and restoring that which he has
stolen. Then, if he still remains obstinate,
l shall have no mercy myself shall reveal
his guilt"
My sister looked across at me inquiringly.
I could only shake my head-it seemed so
utterly preposterous TO suppose that this
Charlatan, confident and impressive though
he was, could really have discovered any
thing.
In dead silence we waited for about
minute. Then we heard the great clock in
the tower slowly strike six; and as the last
stroke died away there came a vigorous peal
at the hall-door bell. By CHAMBERS direc-
ton, the small page was despatched to see
who it was. After a brief absence he re-
turned with very white face, followed by
the burly form of p. c. Jones.
I should guess that the village constable
in his round of rural duties was seldom so
astonished as he was now at the strange
scene into which he was ushered.
But his establishment was nothing to that
of the now terrified domestics at his appear
ance. This sudden fulhlment of Rao's vision
in the crystal banished the last glimmer of
hesitation or doubt; from that moment
Chanler had them like children under his
control.
He motioned the policeman to stand on
one side.
"The time Of mercy has expired, " he said
solemnly cit now only remains to de-
nounce the thief. The crystal has already
revealed to those who can look into its mys-
teries which of you has done this deed. But
l shall not ask you to take my word. I will
give you proof-proof positive that shall
convince all who behold. Let everyone fix
the gaze on mel"
He paused a moment as if to make sure of
a general obedience to bis direction; then he
lifted metal casket from the table, and
took therefrom a number of small, Cachet-
like objects.
''The Thief Test" he explained, holding
one up. Perfectly harmless" He placed
the caChet in his mouth, let it remain for a
moment, and then held it up for inspection.
at does not dissolve-in fact, it does not do
anything, because / am innocent. No one
who is innocent need fear them at all, for
they will only reveal how innocent he is.
But let the guilty one fear and tremble-for
the cachet will infallibly reveal his guilt"
| was watching the domestics carefully
during this extraordinary speech, andfancied
/ could plainly recognize undoubted signs of
some sort of mesmeriC infuenCe-only there
was an alertness and concentrated interest
in their attention to Chanler which one
does not usually associate with the hypnotic
condition. Anyhow, whatever the inhu-
ence was, it was there. This strange man
took in hand that band of a dozen indepen-
dent English house servants and, without
sign OF protest from any one of them, placed
a Cachet in the mouth of each.
A moment later he was round again, col
leCting what he had thus distributed; and,
as he took each caChet from the mouth of
the recipient, he seemed to break the little
case open and examine the contents with
his finger tip. The whole thing was done 50
quickly and speedily that one had hardly
time to recognize how absurd it was. Only
twice did he pause on his round; once
opposite the young hall-porter, as if he we're
not quite sure of his identity; and again, for
a longer period, at the last in the rowan
anemic under-housemaid, who was trem-
bling violently and seemed on the verge of
mysteries.
"Why are you so frightened?" asked
Chanler Rao.
But here my sister interviewed.
Louise has been ill-she only came back
from the Convalescent Home this after
noon," she said, "and 1 think perhaps we
have all had quite enough of this rather up
setting performance"
LET Louise co. said Chanler. "The
rest Will remain for one moment"
Then he strobe across to the tripod, and
holding the cachets he had collected in his
right hand, he let them drop one by one into
the crucible.
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