The Spectator., 1915-10-12

He iS oeao!' its coils and levers. The professor watched her. Slowly his face changed. The benevolence faded away, his teeth for a moment showed in something which was almost a snarl
 You believe me?" he cried, turn ing to Quest You are not going lessor Lord Ashleigh? am all broken up. I am not fit for It. Look at my hands. how they shake"
 Professor" Quest said, sternly, i've are surrounded by the shadow of some terrible deeds for which as yet there we mistrust you, but l ask you to submit to this test"
 'I refuse!" the professor replied, harshly.
 And insist" Quest muttered.
 The professor drew little breath. He sat back in his chair. His face became still. his lips were drawn closely together Lenora wheeled up the machine and with delft fingers ad- justed the fittings on one side. Quest himself connected it up on the other. The professor sat there like figure of stone. The silence in the room was so intense that the ticking of the small clock upon the mantel piece was clearly audible. The very atmos- phere seemed charged with the thrill and wonder of it. Never before had Quest met with resistance so com plete and immovable. Sternly he con- centrated the whole of his will power upoo his task. Almost at once there was Q change. The professor fell back in the chair. The tense selfcon- trol had passed from his features. his lips twitched. Simultaneously, the mirror for a moment was clouded then slowly a picture upon it gath cred outline and substance. There was a jungle. strange. tall trees. and brushwood SO thick that it reached to the waists of the two men who were slowly making their way through it. One was the professor, clearly recognizable under his white sun hel- met; the other a stranger to all of them. Suddenly they stopped. The latter had crept yard or so ahead, his gun raised to his shoulder. his eyes fixed upon some possible object of pursuit. There was a sudden change in the professor. They saw him seize his gun by the barrel and whirl it above his head. He seemed suddenly to lose his whole identity. He crouched on his launches. almost like an animal. and sprang at the oth- CTS throat. They could almost hear the snarl from his lips as the two men went down together into the un- dergrowth. The picture faded away.
 Doctor Merrill!" Lenora faltered. Then 1t was not wild beasts which killed him."
 Almost immediately figures again appeared in the mirror. There was a small passage which seemed to lead from the back entrance of a house: the professor. with black mantle. Craig followed him, pleading. expostu- lating. They saw the conservatory for a minute, and then blackness. The professor was leaning against a mar ble basin. There was nothing to be seen of him but his eyes and hands. They saw him listen for 8 moment or two in cold. unresponsive silence, then stretch out his hand and push Craig away. The picture glowed and faded and glowed again. Then they saw through the gloom the figure of woman approach. a diamond neck lace around her neck. They saw the hands steal out and encircle her throat-and then more darkness. si- lence. obscurity. The mirror was empty once more.
 Mrs. Rheinholdt's jewelsl" Lenora cried. What nextf Oh! my God what next?"
 Their eyes ached with the strain, but there was not one of them who could even glance away from the mir TOT. It was Quests study which slow ly appeared then. The Salvation Army girl was there. talking to the professor. They saw him leave her, they saw him look back from the door, strange, evil glance. Then the secretary entered and spoke to her. Once more the door opened. The hands were there, stretching and reaching. a paper-weight gripped in the right-hand fingers. They saw it raised above the secretary's head, they saw the other hand take the girl by the throat and push her towards the table. A wild scream broke from Lenora's lips. Quest wavered for .