ity is lowest and human reason
weakest. Darkness itself has a curious and depressing effect on the
minds of many people. I have won my advantage from that more than
once. I once proved a very notorious crime by the crude expedient of
impersonating the criminal's victim--a murdered woman--and appearing
to him at night before a concealed witness. But spirits are doomed. The
present extraordinary wave of superstition and the immense prosperity
of the dealers in the 'occult' is a direct result of the war. They are
profiteers--every one of them--crystal gazers, mediums, fortune tellers,
and the rest. They are reaping a rare harvest for the moment. We punish
the humbler rogues, but we don't punish the fools who go to see them.
If I had my way, the man or woman who visited the modern witch or wizard
should get six months in the second division. Fools should be punished
oftener for their folly. But education will sweep these things into the
limbo of man's ignorance and mental infancy. Ghosts cannot stand the
light of knowledge any better than they can operate in the light of
day."

"You are very positive, Mr. Hardcastle."

"Not often--on this subject--yes, Sir Walter Lennox. I have seen too
much of the practitioners. Metaphysics is largely to blame. Physics, the
strong, you will find far too merciful to metaphysics, the weak."

Sir Walter found himself regarding Hardcastle with dislike. He spoke
quietly, yet there was something mocking and annoying in his dogmatism.

"You must discuss the subject with Mr. May, who breakfasted with us. He
will, I think, have no difficulty in maintaining the contrary opinion."

"They never have any difficulty--clergymen I mean--and argument with
them is vain, because we cannot find common ground to start from. What
is the reverend gentleman's theory?"

"He believes that the room holds an invisible and conscious presence
permitted to exercise powers of a physical character antagonistic to
human life. He is guarded, you see, and will not go so far as to say
whether this being is working for good or evil."

"But it has done evil, surely?"

"Evil from our standpoint. But since the Supreme Creator made this
creature as well as He made us, therefore Mr. May holds that we are
not justified in declaring its operations are evil--save from a human
standpoint."

"How was he related to Captain Thomas May?"

"His father."

Peter Hardcastle remained silent for a moment; then he spoke again.

"Ha