nce; we are undoubtedly and unquestionably in the presence
of a spirit or of several spirits. That they understand Latin, we see;
and, from what they say, they may have known death. Time may show
whether they have been terrestrials like ourselves. Though the
conditions of life here might make us delirious, it is scarcely
possible that different temperaments like ours should be affected in so
precisely the same way; besides, in this writing we have tangible
proof."

"It is perfectly reasonable," said Ayrault, "to conclude it was a
spirit, if we may assume that spirits have the power to move the
pencil, which is a material object. Nobody doubts nowadays that after
death we live again; that being the case, we must admit that we live
somewhere. Space, as I take it, can be no obstacle to a spirit;
therefore, why suppose they remain on earth?"

"This is a wonderful place," said Cortlandt. "We have already seen
enough to convince us of the existence of many unknown laws. I wish
the spirit would reveal itself in some other way."

As he finished speaking, the rays of the distant and cold-looking sun
were split, and the colours of the spectrum danced upon the linen
cloth, as if obtained by a prism. In astonishment, they rose and
looked closely at the table, when suddenly a shadow that no one
recognized as his own appeared upon the cover. Tracing it to its
source, their eyes met those of an old man with a white robe and beard
and a look of great intelligence on his calm face. They knew he had
not been in the little grove thirty seconds before, and as this was
surrounded by open country there was no place from which he could have
come.

CHAPTER II.

THE SPIRIT'S FIRST VISIT.

"Greetings and congratulations," he said. "Man has steadfastly striven
to rise, and we see the results in you."

"I have always believed in the existence of spirits," said Cortlandt,
"but never expected to see one with my natural eyes."

"And you never will, in its spiritual state," replied the shade,
"unless you supplement sight with reason. A spirit has merely
existence, entity, and will, and is entirely invisible to your eyes."

"How is it, then, that we see and hear you?" asked Cortlandt. "Are you
a man, or a spectre that is able to affect our senses?"

"I WAS a man," replied the spirit, "and I have given myself visible and
tangible form to warn you of danger. My colleagues and I