with
it now? Anyhow as I said before, I'll have a try. As far as the
preliminary stage is concerned, I fancy I'm pretty well fixed. My mind
is occupied right enough with things of this world--I don't give a
cent for anything belonging to another--and if only I had half a dozen
souls, I'd sell them right away now, for less than twenty thousand
dollars--a damned sight less. As for these tests--foolish isn't the
word for them--but it won't cost much just to try them.... Now,
according to Thomas Maitland, the ceremony of calling up the Unknown
stands a far greater chance of success if there are three human beings
present ... but, of course, if there is any truth in this business,
I'd rather keep the secret of it to myself. However, if I try alone,
the Unknown may not come to me, and then I shall have had all the
trouble of going through the tests for nothing!... Ah! now I see! If
the other two get more of the profits than I think necessary--I can
make use of my newly acquired Occult Power to--to dissolve
partnership! Ha! ha! I could--I could trick the Unknown if it comes to
that. Trust a Jew to outwit the Devil! I'll just look up Kelson
and--Curtis."

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: The river referred to by Maitland is the river
Lagartos, which was then (1691) unnamed.]

[Footnote 2: For chiche compare the ancient Maya or Yucatan word
Chicken-Itza (_i.e._ name of town in Yucatan where excavations are
now taking place--1912).]

[Footnote 3: For Menes compare Mayan Menes, wise men.]

[Footnote 4: Compare Mayan Chaac-mol, a leopard.]

[Footnote 5: Compare Ozil, Mayan for well-beloved.]

[Footnote 6: Moo, Mayan for Macaw.]

[Footnote 7: Nike, woman's name in Mayan.]

[Footnote 8: Recent (1912) discoveries of statues in Easter Island
still further corroborate the sinking of Atlantis.

The Atlantean character [C] resembles the Easter Island [C] (C)
" " [O] " " " [O] (O)
" " [E] " " " [E] (E)
" " [Z] " " " [Z] (Z)

It will be noticed that all the Atlantean characters are
distinguished by additional curling strokes.]

[Footnote 9: In all probability she was the founder of Chicken-Itza,
the capital of Yucatan.]

[Footnote 10: Types of Elementals still to be met with in certain
localities (vide _Byeways of Ghostland_, published by Rider & Son).]

[F