, 1921-08-27

1 Ah1 aAaL4 ACA EAL AM
looked at him inquiringly as though
ihe had already addressed her. He
stood Immediately before her and
bowed.
viii you be SO good as to assist
me in this7" he asked
Miss Page shook her head slightly.
THANK you. no." she said.
She turned to her friend and began
speaking with her again as though
nothing had interrupted them. The
m~ind-reader made no second effort to
address her. neither did he move
away. but stood perfectly still. look
ing at her curiously inc fxedly- The
man took courage from the silence in
the room, which showed him thai his
choice had been a popular one and
the girl whose money and beauty and
brains had in their different fashion
Interested different people was a per
sonage of whom they wished to sec
more in a new part. Even Immen
himself stood aside now: he. too. was
lcurious to see how she would acquit
herself.
Come" said the man. in a low
tone. The girl stared at him in sur
prise and drew back.
She turned TO Immen. What does
he wan with met" she said.
1T is nothing. madam" answered
Bannerman. quickly. before the, older
man could speak to her; merely to
write a sentence IN the blackboard.
Anything that m into your head
and / shall will you to write II
in n language / please"
The girls face wore a troubled.
puzzled look. and instead of turning
her eyes away. she continued staring
at the man as though she we're trying
to recollect whether she had ever
seer him before.
He drew away from her slowly,
and with his yes still fixed on hers.
You will assist me-" he said. And
this time 1t was not in a tone of in
quiry that he spoke. but OF command.
The girl rose suddenly. and stood
uncertainty, looking around the room
as though to test its feeling towards
her. She saw the English Minister
Gas that Consul-General was called
by courtesy smiling at her nco
agingly, she saw Famine in a door
way. posed against the red curtains.
scowling to himself. and she saw her
brother and sister, surrounded by a
full staff of scarlet jackets. enjoyin;
her discontinue. She took a step
back as though to resume her place
Al iht aiOONt, Dut tnt iHiuu-TtdutT
put out his hand. and she. to the sur
prise of all. took it, staring at him
as she did so, as though to read in
his face how he had been able to
make her give It to him.
You understand French, OF
course" the nan said. in a low tone.
but the room was SO still now that
every one could hear. The girl
nodded, without taking her eyes from
his. And Italian-yes; and German
yes; and a little Spanish-perhaps
-yes-no? Is that all?," The girl
nodded again.
Very good. You shall write in
The Egyptians n the English
looked at each other n smiled. but
the o of the man was so full of
confidence hat their faces filed again
with intent interest. Carefully and
deity Bannermann drew the silk
scarf across the girls forehead, but
she raised her hands and unwound 1t
and dropped 1t on the floor.
81 will not be b~lindfolded." she
said. II can keep my ayes closed
without it."
"Humphi" commented n subaltern.
He made a grimace as though he had
tasted something unpleasant.
What is it?" asked the next man.
Did you see a ghost?"
Yes; an enlisted man we shot in
Burmah. He did the same thing. It
reminded me of it." D..
"She does take 1t rather seriously"
whispered the other.
The blackboard hung like a cur
tain at n end of the room. There
was nc light near II, and ii formed a
hIaCtf harkuround aVofpet -h;cb
Helen Pages figure and head stood
out distinctly. She was a very beauti-
full woman. with great masses of
black hair, which she wore back from
her forehead. Her lace was lovely
rather than classic, and typically
American in its frank confid ,nce of
her own innocence and of others
towards her, and in its cleverness.
She wore a gown of black satin, COW
cred with tiny %glittering spangies.
that fitted her figure closely, leaving
her arms and shoulders bare.
But the costume fitted the moment
with peculiar appropriateness. and as
the girl raiser her bare arm to write,
she looked like a blind prophecies or
a beautiful witch, who might trans
form them all into four-footed ami
mails She appeared SO well standing
In outline against the background
with the lights playing over the
spangles, that both the men and
women present were more intent
upon her than upon what she was
about to do. Bannerman c%ongratu-
lated himself on his good fortune. He
was enough of a Snowman to feel the
effect she had produced. and. like a
clever stage-manager. left to her the
centre OF the stage. while he kept his
own person in the background of the
picture.
Are you ready?" he asked.
The girls left arm hung straight
at her side, with the palm turned out
so h a the tips of her fingers touched
those of the mind-reader as he stood
with bowed head behind her. Miss
Page moved her right hand slightly
In assent.
And then, as though some subtle
contact had been established between
them by which the two individual
minds moved in common. her right