question.'

'Duke, what are you talking of? You have got out of philosophy
into metaphysics,' said Prim.

'_She_ is the philosopher of the family,' said Rollo, by way of
explanation to Hazel. 'But she has made a mistake. As she
confesses she does make them, I may remark that.'

'Why, you are talking of perceiving what does not exist!'
cried Prim.

'Is that what you call metaphysics? I should call it
nonsense.'

'I never supposed you were talking nonsense, Duke.'

'No,' said Duke. 'That _would_ be a mistake. No, I was speaking,
Prim, of the detection, by no visible or intelligible means,
of what we are not aware has existence.'

'By no intelligible means,' said Prim. 'You mean, knowing a
person is coming, that you have not heard is coming--and such
things?'

'And knowing a person is near, who you had thought was very
far off.'

'Yes,' said Prim thoughtfully; 'I know. It is very curious.'

'Witches, for instance?' said Hazel, with perfect gravity.

'No,' said Prim earnestly, 'I don't mean out-of-the-way people
at all; though it is something "uncanny"--as it seems;--queer; I
have heard of instances.'

'I have felt them,' said Rollo.

Primrose went into a brown study over the question.

'But do you think,' Rollo went on gravely addressing Wych
Hazel, 'that this sort of mental action can take place except
where there are strong sympathetic--or other--relations between
the parties?'

'So that the magnet finds out the iron, when it would pass by
the lead?--is that what you mean?'

A significant, quick, keen look; and then Rollo said, very
gravely,

'But it strikes me we have got the thing reversed. Is it not
rather the iron that finds the magnet?'

'The magnet must be conscious too,' said Hazel. 'And I think
it moves--where the iron is in sufficient quantity.'

'It would be a poor rule that wouldn't work both ways,' said
Rollo, with dry simplicity.

'What are you talking about?' said Primrose. 'Do give Hazel
some more raspberries. I am inclined to think this, Duke--'

'Well?'

'I am inclined to think that in those cases you have been
speaking of, there is testimony of the person's presence, only
it is in some such little slight things as were insufficient
to draw attention to themselves, and only, by natural
association of ideas, suggested the person.'

'What do you think, Miss Hazel?'

But she shook her head.

'If you go off to people--I should say, sometimes, that could
not be.'

'So