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"Well--that's only an illustration Now s that happened, froht up to the appearances Laurie saere not just the result of these inner powers Look here When one person projects his thought to another it arrives generally like a very faint phanto of the ace of hearts, you see a white rectangle with a red spot in the middle See? Well, multiply all that a hundred tiht be possible that the thought ofof Mr Vincent and Laurie together ht produce a kind of unreal phantom that could even be touched, perhaps Oh! I don't know"

Maggie paused The girl at her side gave an encouraging ie slowly

"But you haven't--"

"Why, how stupid! Yes: the first theory Now that just sho unreal it is to otten it

"Well, the first theory, my dear brethren, divides itself into two heads--first the theory of the spiritualists, secondly the theory of Mr Cathcart (He's a dear, Mabel, even though I don't believe one word he says) "Well, the spiritualist theory seems to me simple R-O-T--rot Mr Vincent, Mrs Stapleton, and the rest, really think that the souls of people actually cos; that it was, really and truly, poor dear Aent who led Laurie such a dance I'm quite, quite certain that that's not true whatever else is Yes, I'll come to the coincidences presently But how can it possibly be that As, and hurt Laurie so horribly? Why, she couldn't if she tried My dear, to be quite frank, she was a very co: and, besides, she wouldn't have hurt a hair of his head

"Now for Mr Cathcart"

There was a long pause A sle behind and eyed the two girls Then, quite noiselessly, as it caught Maggie's eye, it opened its mouth in a pathetic curve intended to represent, an appeal

"You darling!" cried Maggie suddenly; seized a saucer, filled it with round The small cat stepped daintily down, and set to work

"Yes?" said the other girl tentatively

"Oh! Mr Cathcart Well, I must say that his theory fits in hat Father Mahon says But, you know, theology doesn't say that this or that particular thing is the devil, or has actually happened in any given instance--only that, if it really does happen, it is the devil Well, this is Mr Cathcart's idea It's a long story: you mustn't mind