icularize? Do I need to go on?"

"Oh, pray do! You are very interesting!" spoke Mrs. Markham from the
piano stool.

"I will--since you wish it," returned Blake with an equal sarcastic
courtesy. "When sleep was established, Mrs. Markham made her rise and
dress herself in those phosphorescent robes"--he pointed to the gauzy
heap on the floor--"put her back on the couch, and gave her directions.
She was to rise at a signal--you know it--'Wild roamed an Indian maid.'
Must I tell you any more?" he burst out. "Do you know that three nights
ago I looked into her sitting-room above that trap and saw her--saw her
go down to you--heard what she said to you!"

Annette was gasping and moaning.

"Oh, did I do that?" she said.

"No, sweet, _she_ did it," he said. He turned to Rosalie. "Take this
revolver and keep order for me. Annette ought not to stand any longer."
Still keeping her head on his shoulder, he seated her beside him on a
couch. "She has never heard this before, Mr. Norcross, and you must
know what a shock she is suffering. This is a desperate case, and it
required a desperate remedy. That accounts for this drama to-night.
Mme. Le Grange there is housekeeper of this place, and my agent.
Putting her in this house was part of the remedy. Fifteen minutes ago,
she and I entered the room where Miss Markham lay in hypnotic trance,
waiting to go down to you. I supplemented Mrs. Markham's suggestion by
a command of my own--you know what it was. I took a risk. One never
knows whether a hypnotic subject--even such a perfect one as this--will
obey a supplementary suggestion. Had it failed, had she started back
toward the ladder, I should have turned on the lights and seized the
spook in the vulgar manner, and Mrs. Markham would have had the
thousand excuses which a professional medium can give in such
circumstances. But Annette obeyed--she even woke on my command before
she had fulfilled the whole of Mrs. Markham's suggestion--because we
love each other. That made the difference." He drew Annette's head
closer on his shoulder. "I'm going to take her away to-night. She's
done with all this." He turned to Mrs. Markham. Her hand still rested
on the keyboard. Her face was pale, but her lips wore a sneering smile.
"It is your turn, Madame," he said.

"I lose gracefully," answered Mrs. Markham, "yet if Mr. Norcross will
think very carefully, he may realize that I am not all a loser."

Rosalie crossed the room to Dr. Blake. "Here,