following Monday--or maybe it
was Tuesday."

"I recall the story of his life now. It was all very tragic. I wonder
he didn't become a maniac."

"Some people think he did," answered Britt, dryly.

"So they're with Simeon. He lives gorgeously, I'm told."

"About like a lone American guest in a twenty-franc-per-day hotel in
Paris. Why, yes, they're very comfortable there--all but the girl.
She's discontented and unhappy, if I'm any judge, and is besieged day
and night by the mourning faithful, not to speak of certain amorous
males."

This hurt, and Serviss shifted ground. "Does she keep up her music?"

Again Britt smiled, but not humorously. "She plays the harp--in the
dark."

"You mean--"

"She's taken on a lot more of the regulation tricks--materializing
flowers, slate-writing, music without hands, etc."

"You don't mean it! I can hardly associate such doings with her,"
sorrow and indignation mingled in his voice.

"I assure you I was there last night at a 'circle,' and these things
took place with Clarke as ring-master. There wasn't a particle of
originality--it was the same old mill, and the same old grist, yet I
don't hold her responsible in any harmful degree. I can't believe she
designedly tricks, but she's surrounded now by a gang of chattering,
soft-pated women, and men with bats in their belfry, who unite in
assuring her that her God-given powers must be fostered. They've cut
her off from any decent marriage--she's virtually a prisoner to their
whims. What they may induce her to do next I don't know. I'm going to
hang round here for a week or two and see." A violent fit of coughing
interrupted him. When he recovered he looked up sidewise. "Isn't this
a peach of a climate? Wouldn't you think they'd build at least one of
their big cities where microbes couldn't fatten on genius?"

"What led Clarke to consent to leaving the West? When I was there he
bitterly opposed her going."

"Oh, it's very simple. He has written a book on _The Physical Proof of
Immortality_, and, being anxious for a publisher, withdrew his
opposition to her plan, and declared himself willing to go to
Boston--at Lambert's expense."

"Is he out of the Church?"

"Absolutely. You should have heard his farewell sermon. It really was
as dramatic a speech as I ever heard. He went on to declare that the
Hebrews were not the only seers, that the wells of inspiration were
not yet dry, that revelation was waiting upon every soul to-day,