the inner
door, and--and saw what was to be seen."

Laurie looked at him intently. But there was a touch of apprehension
in his face, too.

"You mean," he said slowly, "that--that all I saw--the limitations of
space, and so forth--that these were facts and not fancies?"

"Certainly. Doesn't your theology hint at something of the kind?"

Laurie was silent. He had no idea of what his theology told him on the
point.

"But why should I--I of all people--have such an experience?" he asked
suddenly.

The medium smiled.

"Who can tell that?" he said. "Why should one man be an artist, and
another not? It is a matter of temperament. You see you've begun to
develop that temperament at last; and it's a very marked one to begin
with. As for--"

Laurie interrupted him.

"Yes, yes," he said. "But there's another point. What about that fear
I had when I tried to--to awaken?"

There passed over the medium's face a shade of gravity. It was no more
than a shade, but it was there. He reached out rather quickly for his
pipe which he had laid aside, and blew through it carefully before
answering.

"That?" he said, with what seemed to the boy an affected carelessness.
"That? Oh, that's a common experience. Don't think about that too
much, Mr. Baxter. It's never very healthy--"

"I am sorry," said Laurie deliberately. "But I must ask you to tell me
what you think. I must know what I'm doing."

The medium filled his pipe again. Twice he began to speak, and checked
himself; and in the long silence Laurie felt his fears gather upon him
tenfold.

"Please tell me at once, Mr. Vincent," he said. "Unless I know
everything that is to be known, I will not go another step along this
road. I really mean that."

The medium paused in his pipe-filling.

"And what if I do tell you?" he said in his slow virile voice. "Are
you sure you will not be turned back?"

"If it is a well-known danger, and can be avoided with prudence, I
certainly shall not turn back."

"Very well, Mr. Baxter, I will take you at your word.... Have you ever
heard the phrase, 'The Watcher on the Threshold'?"

Laurie shook his head.

"No," he said. "At least I don't think so."

"Well," said the medium quietly, "that is what we call the Fear you
spoke of.... No; don't interrupt. I'll tell you all we know. It's not
very much."

He paused again, stretched his hand for the matches, and took one
out. Laurie watched him as if fascinated by the action.

Outside