ing seas. How then
can it be otherwise than that Thought should influence our
fortunes--that success should be unable to materialize before a
persistent attitude of Negation? My friends, you will perceive
that there is no break in this sequence of ideas; all is
remorseless logic.

"In order to withdraw myself from this atmosphere of Negation, for
these several days past I have sought seclusion. There in silence
I have asserted the power of Positive over Negative Thought, gazing
meanwhile into the profound depths of the All. My friends, an
answer has been vouchsafed us; I have had a vision of that for
which we seek. Now at last, in a spirit of glad confidence, we may
advance. For, my friends, the chest is buried--in sand."

With this triumphant announcement Miss Higglesby-Browne sat down.
A heavy silence succeeded. It was broken by a murmur from Mr.
Tubbs.

"Wonderful--that's what I call wonderful! Talk about the eloquence
of the ancients--I believe, by gum, this is on a par with
Congressional oratory!"

"A vision, Miss Browne," said Mr. Shaw gravely, "must be an
interesting thing. I have never seen one myself, having no talents
that way, but in the little Scotch town of Dumbiedykes where I was
born there was an old lady with a remarkable gift of the second
sight. Simple folk, not being acquainted with the proper terms to
fit the case, called her the Wise Woman. Well, one day my aunt had
been to the neighboring town of Micklestane, five miles off, and on
the way back to Dumbiedykes she lost her purse. It had three
sovereigns in it--a great sum to my aunt. In her trouble of mind
she hurried to the Wise Woman--a thing to make her pious father
turn in his grave. The Wise Woman--gazed into the All, I suppose,
and told my aunt not to fret herself, for she had had a vision of
the purse and _it lay somewhere on the food between Micklestane and
Dumbiedykes_.

"Now, Miss Browne, I'll take the liberty of drawing a moral from
this Story to fit the present instance: _where on the road between
Micklestane and Dumbiedykes is the chest_?"

Though startled at the audacity of Mr. Shaw, I was unprepared for
the spasm of absolute fury that convulsed Miss Browne's countenance.

"Mr. Shaw," she thundered, "if you intend to draw a parallel
between me and an ignorant Scotch peasant--!"

"Not at all," said Mr. Shaw calmly, "forebye the Wise Woman was a
most respectable person and had a grandson in the kirk. The point