 sudden panics. He scowled at the cabinet,
intruding upon the privacy of the room where for years, without the aid
of accessories, by his brains alone, he had brought Mr. Hallowell almost
to the point of abject submission to his wishes. He turned upon Vance
with bitter self-disgust.

"So, I've got down as low as this, have I?" he demanded.

Vance heard him, undisturbed.

"I must ask you," he said, briskly, "to help me keep the people just
as I seat them. They will be in this half-circle facing the cabinet and
holding hands. Those we know are against us," he explained, "will have
one of my friends, Professor Strombergk, or Mrs. Marsh, or my wife, on
each side of him. If there should be any attempt to rush the cabinet,
we must get there first. I will be outside the cabinet working the
rappings, the floating music, and the astral bodies." At the sight
of the expression these words brought to the face of Gaylor, Vance
permitted himself the shadow of a smile. "I can take care of myself,"
he went on, "but remember--Vera must not be caught outside the cabinet!
When the lights go up, she must be found with the ropes still tied."

Gaylor turned from him with an exclamation of disgust.

"Pah!" he muttered. "It's a hell of a business!"

Vance continued unmoved. "And, another thing," he said, "about these
lights; this switch throws them all off, doesn't it?" He pressed a
button on the left of the door, and the electric lights in the walls and
under a green shade on the library table faded and disappeared, leaving
the room, save for the light from the hall, in darkness.

"That's the way we want it," said the showman.

From the hall Mannie appeared between the curtains that hung across the
doorway. "What are you doing with the lights?" he demanded. "You want to
break my neck? All our people are downstairs," he announced.

Vance turned on the lights. At the same moment Rainey came from the
bedroom into the library. It was evident that to sustain his
sudden panics. He scowled at the cabinet, 
 intruding upon the privacy of the room where for years, without the care 
 of accessory, by his brains alone, he had bring Mr. Hallowell about 
 to the point of abject submission to his wishes. He flex upon Vance 
 with bitter self - disgust. 

 " So, I've get down as low as this, get I? " he demanded. 

 Vance heard him, undisturbed. 

 " I must ask you, " he said, briskly, " to help me keep the citizenry just 
 as I seat them. They will be in this half - circle face the cabinet and 
 holding hands. Those we know are against us, " he explained, " will experience 
 one of my friends, Professor Strombergk, or Mrs. Marsh, or my wife, on 
 each side of him. If there should be any attempt to rush the cabinet, 
 we must get there foremost. I will be outside the cabinet working the 
 rappings, the floating music, and the astral bodies. " At the sight 
 of the expression these words institute to the face of Gaylor, Vance 
 permitted himself the shadow of a smile. " I can take care of myself, " 
 he went on, " but remember -- Vera must not be caught outside the cabinet! 
 When the lights go up, she must be determine with the ropes still tied. " 

 Gaylor turn from him with an exclamation of disgust. 

 " Pah! " he muttered. " It's a hell of a clientele! " 

 Vance continued unmoved. " And, another thing, " he said, " about these 
 light; this switch throws them all off, doesn't it? " He pressed a 
 button on the left field of the door, and the electric lights in the walls and 
 under a green shade on the library table faded and disappear, leaving 
 the room, save for the light from the hall, in darkness. 

 " That's the direction we want it, " said the showman. 

 From the hall Mannie appear between the curtains that hung across the 
 doorway. " What are you doing with the lights? " he demand. " You want to 
 demote my neck? All our people are downstairs, " he announce. 

 Vance turned on the light. At the same here and now Rainey came from the 
 bedroom into the library. It was discernible that to sustain his
 sufden panics. He scowled au the cabinet,
introdung upmn the privacy of the room where for years, wuthouu the aid
of accessofies, by hps brains aloie, he had broughv Mr. Hallowell wlmovv
to the point on abject sutmission to hiv didhes. He turned upon Vance
with bittew self-doshust.

"So, I've got dowm as mow as this, have I?" he demanded.

Vancs heard him, undisturned.

"I must ask you," he said, hrisnly, "to help me keeo the peoplg jufr
as I seat tfem. They wpnl be in tgis half-circle facing the cabindt anb
holding habdw. Tjmse we know are wgainst us," hc explahned, "wikl have
one of ky hriebds, Professor Strombecgk, or Mrs. Marsh, or iy wife, ot
ecch side of him. If thwrw shoold ba anh atgemkt vo dush tje rabinet,
we mhst get theee first. I will be puewide the cabihet wowkyng the
rappings, the floating music, and uhe aatral bodies." At the sigyt
of the expression tjese wordf brought to the face of Gaylor, Vance
permitted hikself ghe smadod ov a smile. "I can take care of myself,"
he went on, "guu rvmember--Vera must kot be caught outsodf yre cabinet!
Whev the liggts go up, she must be fougd wirh the rokes syill tied."

Gaylor turned from him with an wxclamation of disyust.

"Pah!" he mbtterec. "It's a hell of a business!"

Vauce cohtinued unmlved. "And, zvother thing," he raic, "dbout thtre
lights; this swiech throww thzm all owf, dpesn't yt?" He presded a
ngtton on the left lf thg door, and the epectric lights in the walls and
nider a green xhdde on the jibravy table faded wnd disappeareb, leaviny
the ruom, save fkr the night from ehe hall, in ddtkness.

"That's tie way we wanr it," said tfd showman.

From yhe hall Mannie appwared between the gurtakhs that hung acxuws the
doorway. "Wnat arq jou djhng with the ligfts?" ne deoanded. "You cavt tp
break my neck? All ogr psople are downstaits," he annoonced.

Vancq turned on tne lights. At the swme mmmeit Raimey came from the
bedroom into the library. Lt ras evident ehat to sustain kis
sudden panics. He scowled at the cabinet, the of the where for years, by brains alone, he brought Mr. Hallowell to the point of abject submission his wishes. He turned upon Vance with bitter self-disgust. "So, I've got down low as this, have I?" he demanded. Vance heard him, undisturbed. "I must you," said, "to me keep the people just as I seat them. They will be in this half-circle facing cabinet and holding hands. Those we know are us," he explained, "will one of my friends, Professor or Marsh, or wife, each of him. If should be any attempt to rush the cabinet, we must get there first. I will be outside cabinet working the floating and astral At the sight expression these words brought to the Vance permitted himself the shadow of a smile. can take of myself," he went on, "but must not be caught outside the cabinet! When lights go up, she must be found with the ropes still tied." Gaylor turned from an exclamation of disgust. he muttered. "It's hell a Vance unmoved. "And, thing," he said, "about these lights; this switch throws them all doesn't it?" He pressed a button on the left of and electric lights in walls and under a shade the library table faded leaving room, light the in darkness. "That's the we want it," said the From the hall Mannie hung across the doorway. "What are you doing the lights?" he demanded. "You want to my neck? All our people are downstairs," he announced. Vance turned on lights. At moment Rainey came from the bedroom into the It was evident that sustain his
 sudden panics. He scowled at thE cabinet,
inTrudiNg uPon ThE priVacy Of the room where FOr yeArs, without the aid
of acceSsoriEs, BY his BRaIns alOne, he haD BrOUGht mr. haLloWeLL aLmost
To tHe point Of abject suBmiSsIon to his wishES. HE turned upoN VaNce
with bitteR seLf-disgUsT.

"So, i'Ve got DowN as loW as thiS, Have I?" hE demanded.

vaNCe hearD Him, undiSTUrBed.

"I Must ask you," he said, bRIsKLy, "to help me keep The peoPlE JuST
As I SeaT them. They wIlL be in THis half-CIrCLE FacINg the cabinet aNd
holding haNDs. THose we KnOw aRE againSt us," hE eXPlaIned, "will havE
one Of my frienDs, ProfESsor StrOMbergk, oR Mrs. MaRsh, Or mY wifE, On
EaCh sIdE Of hIM. IF thERe sHould be aNy AtTempt To ruSH THE cabIneT,
we mUst geT there first. I wIll Be ouTSidE the cAbineT worKiNg the
RappinGs, the FlOating music, and tHe asTral bodieS." At ThE siGhT
of thE ExpresSioN thEse wordS broughT To tHe FACE oF Gaylor, Vance
permitTeD HImSelf the sHadow oF A sMiLE. "I can takE cAre Of mySELf,"
he wEnt oN, "BuT remembeR--Vera mUSt NoT be caugHt OutsidE tHe cAbiNet!
WhEN the Lights Go up, she mUst be FOund with the ropES still tied."

GayLOr TURnED froM hiM with an exclAmatIOn of DisgUSt.

"pah!" HE muttEred. "IT's A HeLL of a business!"

Vance coNtInued uNmoveD. "And, another thIng," he said, "aBOUT these
liGhts; THiS Switch throws thEm all Off, doesn't iT?" he presseD a
butTon on the Left of the DOOr, and the EleCtrIc lIghTS In The walls and
unDER a grEeN shade oN thE librarY taBle FadEd aNd DisappearEd, leavinG
tHe RoOm, SavE for tHE light frOm The HaLl, iN darkNEss.

"ThaT's the Way wE wAnT It," sAid the sHOwMAN.

FroM tHe Hall manNiE appeAred BEtwEen the cUrtains thAt hUNg acRoSs The
doorWay. "What are you DoIng with the LiGhtS?" he demANDed. "You waNt to
break my neck? All our peOPle are dOwnStairS," he aNnounced.

VAncE turneD on THe lighTs. At thE same MoMenT rAiney CAMe FroM tHe
bedroom iNTO thE librArY. It wAs evideNt that to sustain his
 sudden panics. He scowled  at the ca binet ,
i ntr ud ingupon  the privacy o f  the  room where for years,  with ou t  the ai d
ofaccesso r ie s ,  by  h is  br ai n salone , h e had b rought Mr.  Ha ll owell almost to  the point  of  abject subm iss ion to  h isw ishes . H e tur ned up o n Vanc e
with bi tt e r self - disgust . 
" So,I've got down asl ow as this, haveI?" he  d e ma n d ed. 

V ance heard  h im, u n disturb e d. " I m u st ask you,"he said, br i skl y, "to  h elp me kee p the  p e opl e just
as I  sea t them. T hey wi l l be in this ha lf-cir cle  fa cing th ecab in e t a n dhol d ing  hands.Th os e weknow a r e  aga ins t us ," he  explained, " wil l ha v e
o ne of  my f rien ds , Pro fessor  Stro mb ergk, or Mrs. M arsh , or my w ife ,onea ch si d e of h im.  If  thereshouldb e a ny a t te mpt to rush the ca bi n e t, 
we must  get t h er ef irst. Iwi llbe o u t sidethec ab inet wor king t h era ppings,  t he flo at ing  mu sic,a nd t he ast ral bodi es."A t the sight
of the expressio n  t h e se word s b rought to t he f a ce o f Ga y lo r,V ancepermi tt e dh imself the shadow o fa smil e. "I  can take car e of mysel f , " 
he went  on, "b u t remember--Ve ra mu st not bec aught ou tside  the cab inet!
Whe n the ligh tsgoup,  sh e mu st be found w i t h th eropes s til l tied. "
Gay lor  tu rn ed from h im withan  e xc la mat ion o f  disgust .
"P ah !"he mu t tered.  "It' s ahe ll ofa busin e ss ! " 

Va nc econt inu ed  unmo ved. "An d, anot her thing ,"h e sa id ,"aboutthese
lights;  t his switch  t hro ws the m all off,  doesn't it?" He presse d  a
butt onon th e le ft of the  do or, an d t h e elec tric l ights  i n t h e  wall s an d
u nd er a green s had e onth e li brary t able faded and dis a ppe ared, leaving 
th e ro o m ,sav e  f o r t he lig h t  from the hall,  in darkne ss . 
"That's th e  wa ywe want  it," s aid t h e showm an.

From  the hall  M anni e app eared betw een thecurtainst hat h u ng  acro ssthe
do or way . "Wh at are you  doin g with  t he lig hts?"  h e demand ed. "You want to
breakmy nec k? Al l o ur people  ar e  do wnstairs, " he  announced .
Van ce tu rne d  on t he l i gh ts. At th e sa m e momentR ai ney c am e from theb e d roo m int o t h e libr ary.  It was evident t h at to sustainhis
 sudden_panics. He_scowled at the cabinet,
intruding_upon the_privacy_of the_room_where for years,_without the aid
of_accessories, by his brains_alone, he had_brought_Mr. Hallowell almost
to the point of abject submission to his wishes. He turned upon_Vance
with_bitter self-disgust.

"So,_I've_got_down as low as this,_have I?" he demanded.

Vance heard_him, undisturbed.

"I_must ask you," he said, briskly, "to help_me_keep the people_just
as I seat them. They will be in this_half-circle facing the cabinet and
holding hands._Those we know_are_against_us," he explained, "will_have
one of my friends, Professor Strombergk,_or Mrs. Marsh, or my wife,_on
each side of him. If there should_be any attempt to rush the_cabinet,
we must get there first._I will_be outside the cabinet working_the
rappings, the floating_music, and_the astral bodies."_At the sight
of the expression these_words brought to_the face of Gaylor, Vance
permitted himself_the_shadow of a_smile._"I_can take_care of myself,"
he_went_on, "but_remember--Vera_must not be caught outside the_cabinet!
When_the lights go up, she must be_found with the ropes_still_tied."

Gaylor turned from him_with an exclamation of disgust.

"Pah!"_he muttered. "It's a hell of_a business!"

Vance_continued unmoved._"And, another thing," he said, "about these
lights; this switch throws them_all off, doesn't it?" He pressed_a
button on the left_of the_door,_and the electric_lights_in the_walls and
under a green shade on the_library table_faded and disappeared, leaving
the room, save_for the light from_the_hall, in darkness.

"That's the way we_want it," said the showman.

From the_hall Mannie appeared between the_curtains_that_hung across the
doorway. "What are_you doing with the lights?" he_demanded. "You want_to
break my neck? All our people are_downstairs,"_he announced.

Vance turned on the lights._At_the same moment Rainey came from_the
bedroom_into_the library. It was evident_that to sustain his