"Edith!" exclaimed Loring, rising to his feet and leaning over the
library table, which was between them. "When did you come? How much
of the performance did you see?"

"I was late," she said. "I did not arrive until after the fireworks,
or whatever they were."

For a moment Loring was silent, as if he did not understand the
situation.

"Fireworks!" he said. "How did you know there had been fireworks?"

"I heard the people talking of them as they left the theatre," she
answered.

"And what did they say?" he inquired quickly.

"They seemed to like them very well," she replied, "but I do not think
they were quite satisfied. From what I heard some persons say, I
inferred that they thought it was not very much of a show to which you
had invited them."

Again Loring stood in thought, looking down at the table. But before
he could speak again, Edith sprang to her feet.

"Herbert Loring," she cried, "what does all this mean? I was there
during the whole of the exhibition of what you called the magic egg. I
saw all those people wild with excitement at the wonderful sight of the
chicken that came out of the egg, and grew to full size, and then
dwindled down again, and went back into the egg, and, Herbert, there
was no egg, and there was no little box, and there was no wand, and no
embroidered cloth, and there was no red bag, nor any little chick, and
there was no full-grown fowl, and there was no chair that you put on
the table! There was nothing, absolutely nothing, but you and that
table! Even the table was not what you said it was. It was not an
unpainted pine table with four straight legs. It was a table of dark
polished wood, and it stood on a single post with feet. There was
nothing there that you said was there. Everything was a sham and a
delusion; every word you spoke was untrue. And yet everybody in that
theatre, excepting you and me, saw all the things that you said were on
the stage. I know they saw them all, for I was with the people, and
heard them, and saw them, and at times I fairly felt the thrill of
enthusiasm which possessed them as they glared at the miracles and
wonders you said were happening."

Loring smiled. "Sit down, my dear Edith," he said. "You are excited,
and there is not the slightest cause for it. I will explain the whole
affair to you. It is simple enough. You know that study is the great
object of my life. I study all sorts of things; and just now I am
greatly