at the
intelligent force behind these manifestations has realised that some one
is busied about its destruction. And it is now on the defensive: more,
it is aggressive."

"But 'it'--what is 'it'?" began the soldier, fuming. "What, in the name
of all that's dreadful, _is_ a fire-elemental?"

"I cannot give you at this moment," replied Dr. Silence, turning to him,
but undisturbed by the interruption, "a lecture on the nature and
history of magic, but can only say that an Elemental is the active force
behind the elements,--whether earth, air, water, _or fire_,--it is
impersonal in its essential nature, but can be focused, personified,
ensouled, so to say, by those who know how--by magicians, if you
will--for certain purposes of their own, much in the same way that steam
and electricity can be harnessed by the practical man of this century.

"Alone, these blind elemental energies can accomplish little, but
governed and directed by the trained will of a powerful manipulator they
may become potent activities for good or evil. They are the basis of all
magic, and it is the motive behind them that constitutes the magic
'black' or 'white'; they can be the vehicles of curses or of blessings,
for a curse is nothing more than the thought of a violent will
perpetuated. And in such cases--cases like this--the conscious,
directing will of the mind that is using the elemental stands always
behind the phenomena--"

"You think that my brother--!" broke in the Colonel, aghast.

"Has nothing whatever to do with it--directly. The fire-elemental that
has here been tormenting you and your household was sent upon its
mission long before you, or your family, or your ancestors, or even the
nation you belong to--unless I am much mistaken--was even in existence.
We will come to that a little later; after the experiment I propose to
make we shall be more positive. At present I can only say we have to
deal now, not only with the phenomenon of Attacking Fire merely, but
with the vindictive and enraged intelligence that is directing it from
behind the scenes--vindictive and enraged,"--he repeated the words.

"That explains--" began Colonel Wragge, seeking furiously for words he
could not find quickly enough.

"Much," said John Silence, with a gesture to restrain him.

He stopped a moment in the middle of his walk, and a deep silence came
down over the little room. Through the windows the sunlight seemed less
bright, the long line of dark hill