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"Well, then" and he interrupted his, Mr Vincent?" He nodded towards the second shelf in the bookcase

Mr Vincent turned on the hearthrug

"Those? Oh! those are a few rather elementary instruments for my work"

He lifted down a crystal ball on a small black polished wooden stand and handed it over

"You have heard of crystal-gazing? Well, that is the article"

"Is that crystal?"

"Oh no: cos and sixpence"

Laurie turned it over, letting the shining globe run on to his hand

"And this is--" he began

"And this," said thea curious windlass, on the little table by the fire, "this is a French toy Very elementary"

"What's that?"

"Look"

Mr Vincent wound a small handle at the back of the windain, and released it Instantly the sails began to revolve, noiseless and swift, producing the effect of a rapidly flashing circle of light across which span lines, waxing and waning with extraordinary speed