ment," gasped the boy.

He drove his face into his hands and sat overwhelmed.

Presently he looked up.

"But I knew it," he said. "I knew it. It was just my own self which
spoke."

The medium smiled.

"Yes," he said, "of course that is the first answer." He placed one
hand on the table, leaning forward, and began to play his fingers as
if on a piano. Laurie watched the movement, which seemed vaguely
familiar.

"Can you account for that, Mr. Baxter? You did that several times. It
seemed uncharacteristic of you, somehow."

Laurie looked at him, mute. He remembered now. He half raised a hand
in protest.

"And ... and do you ever stammer?" went on the man.

Still Laurie was silent. It was beyond belief or imagination.

"Now if those things were characteristic--"

"Stop, sir," cried the boy; and then, "But those too might be unconscious
imitation."

"They might," said the other. "But then we had the advantage of
watching you. And there were other things."

"I beg your pardon?"

"There was the loud continuous rapping, at the beginning and the
end. You were awakened twice by these."

Laurie remained perfectly motionless without a word. He was still
striving to marshal this flood of mad ideas. It was incredible,
amazing.

Then he stood up.

"I must go away," he said. "I--I don't know what to think."

"You had better stay a little longer and rest," said the medium
kindly.

The boy shook his head.

"I must go at once," he said. "I cannot trust myself."

He went out without a word, followed by the medium. The two ladies sat
eyeing one another.

"It has been astonishing ... astonishing," sighed Mrs. Stapleton.
"What a find!"

There was no more said. Lady Laura sat as one in trance herself.

Then Mr. Vincent returned.

"You must not lose sight of that young man," he said abruptly. "It is
an extraordinary case."

"I have all the notes here," remarked Mrs. Stapleton.

"Yes; you had better keep them. He must not see them at present."

_Chapter V_

I

As the weeks went by Maggie's faint uneasiness disappeared. She was
one of those fortunate persons who, possessing what are known as
nerves, are aware of the possession, and discount their effects
accordingly.

That uneasiness had culminated a few days after Laurie's departure one
evening as she sat with the old lady after tea--in a sudden touch of
terror at she knew not what.

"What is the matter, my dear?" the old lady had said witho