Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-04-13

reason why I should spare him and let
an ln~nocentsman suffer for him.
ESPECIALLY when you loved the in
nocent man." l added to myself, but
managed to keep the words from my
lips.
AS soon as ] told him of my decis-
ION, MISS Vaughan continued, he led
me to the room where the crystal
sphere is, placed me on the divan, sat
down opposite me, and began to ex-
plain to me the beliefs of his religion.
Meditation, it seems, is essential to it
and 1t was by gazing at the crystal that
N could separate ones Soul from
ones body and so attain pure and pro-
found meditation
WAS that your first experience of
crystal gazing?" Godfrey asked.
Yes; both he and my father had
often tried to persuade me to join them.
They often spent whole nights there.
But 1t seemed to me that the breaking
down OF fathers will was due to it in
some way; grew to have a fear and
horror of it, and so l q always refused
The change in your father was UNI
doubleday directly traceable to it,"
Godfrey agreed. During those periods
of crystal gazing. he was really in a
state of hypnosis, induced by Silva,
with his mind bare to Silva's sugges-
tons; as these We're repeated, he
became more and more a mere echo of
Silva's personality. That was what
Silva desired for you, also"
Il felt something of the sort, though
| never really understood it," said Miss
Vaughan: and as | sat there on the
divan that Sunday afternoon, with his
burning eye upon me, l was terribly
afraid. His will was so much stronger
than mine, n besides, l could no.
keep my eyes from the crystal. In the
end, l had q Vision-a dreadful vision.
She pressed her hands to her eyes, as
though it was still before her.
THE vision of your fathers death?'
l questioned.
She nodded.
With Swain as the murdererw
"HoW did o know" she asked, as
tonished.
Because he induced the same vision
in me the next evening. But don't let
me interrupt"
81 don't know how long the seance
lasted she continued; "some hours, l
suppose, for it was dark when l again
realized where l was. And after din
ner, there was another; and then at
midnight he led me to the roof and
invoked what he called an astral bene-
diction-a wonderful. wonderful thing.
Godfrey smiled drily.
You were overweight, Miss
Vaughan, lie Salu, ana slialSlt from
a spell OF crystal gazing. No wonder 1t
impressed you. But it was really only
a clever trick"
81 realize, now, thai it must have
been a trick" she agreed; but at the
time it seemed an unqaestionable proof
Of mas divine power. When it was
over, | had just sufficient strength of
will remaining to tear myself away
from him and gain my own room and
lock the door"
""You mean he tried to detaIn YOU"
mot with his hands. But l could
feel his will striving to onqu mine
Even after l was in my room, l could
feel him calling rlse. In the morning,
was ronge | lay in bed until nearly
noon, trying to form some plan, but
began to fear that l must give it up. |
realized that, after a few more nights
like the night before, I should no
longer have q will of rlY own-that
what 7 was pretending would become
a reality. l decided that | could risk
one more day-perhaps two, but i felt
very weak ard discouraged. You see
| did not Nnow what to look for, or
where to look. l wanted evidence
against him, but | had 10 diea what
the eVidensa would be. | wanted tC
search his room, but l had not beer
able to, because he was scarcely ever
out of it. except when he was with me
and, besides, hhQl was always
SQuatting Nl tie little closet next to 1t
IL got up, at last, and after break
fast he met me here in the library. He
suggested another SeGince, but | pleaded
a headache, and he walked with me
about the grounds. 1 remembered thai
you We're TO come III the evening, Mr.
Lester, ana ! determined to leave yol
with him, Un some preteXt, and search
his room then. I told him you were
coming, that | had asked you to take
charge OF my affairs, and it was ther
he told me of the legacy he believed
my father had left him. adding tina
: whether the legacy should stand or no
was entirely in my hands. Then l be.
gan to feel his Influence again, ant
managed % excuse myself and go III
!, doors.
You know what happened in tn.
evening, Mr.. Lester. AS soon as I lief
you, / flew to his room. determined t
:, search II at any cost. But / wa.
scarcely inside, when | heard the out,
er door open, and | had just time to ge,
behind the cmrtaims in one corner
!, when someone entered. Peering out,
saw hat it was Mahbub. He looked
about for a moment and then sat down
on the divaE. folded his feet under him
Z. and fell into a contemplation of tho
sphere. ! scarcely cared to breathe.
a was always afraid OF Mahbub," she
added; far more 40 than of Senoi
Silva, About SeDor Silva there was a
least something warm and human: bu'
Mahbub impressed me somehow as {
brother OF the snake, he seemed so colo
and venomous."
you knew he vas dead?" ! asked
as she paused.
Continued next week.)