Chapter I

The meeting of the Psychical Club had been rather dull, and it was just as the members were languidly expecting an adjournment that the only interesting moment of the evening came. The papers had been more than usually vapid, and, as one man whispered to another, not even a ghost could be convicted upon evidence so slight as that brought forward to prove the existence of disembodied visitants to certain forsaken and rat-haunted houses. At the last moment, however, the President, Dr. Taunton, made an announcement which did arouse some attention.

"Before we go," he said, smiling with the air of one who desires it to be understood that in what he says he distinctly disclaims all personal responsibility, "it is my duty to submit to the Club a singular proposition which has been made to me. A gentleman whom I am not at liberty to name, but who is personally known to many--perhaps to most--of you, offers to give to the Club an exhibition of occult phenomena."

The members roused somewhat, but too many propositions of a nature not dissimilar had ended in entire failure and flatness for any immediate enthusiasm.

"What are his qualifications?" a member asked.

"I did not dream that he possessed any," Dr. Taunton responded, smiling more broadly. "Indeed, to me that is the interesting thing. I had never suspected that he had even the slightest knowledge or curiosity in such matters, and still less that he made any pretensions to occult powers. The fact that he is a man of a position so good and of brains so well proved as to make it unlikely that he would gratuitously make a fool of himself is the only ground on which his proposition seems to me worth attention."

"What does he propose to do?"

"He does not say."

"He must have given some sort of idea."

"He said only that he was able to perform some tricks--experiments, I think, was his word; or no--he said demonstrations. He thought they would interest the members."

"Did he say why he offered to do them?"

"No further than to observe not over politely that he was weary of some of the nonsense the Club circulated, and that he would therefore take the trouble to teach them better."

The members smiled, but some colored a little as if the touch had reached a spot somewhat sensitive.

"It is exceedingly kind of him," one elderly gentleman remarked stiffly.

"He is explicit in his conditions," the President added.

The members were beginning to seem really awake, and Judge Hobart asked with some quickness what the conditions were.

"First," the President answered, "that his identity shall not be revealed. I am not to tell his name, and he trusts to the honor of any member who may recognize him. A meeting is to be appointed when and where we please. He is to know nothing more than the time. I am to send a carriage for him, to provide certain things of which he has given me a list, to arrange a room according to his directions, and to give him my word that no record of the meeting shall appear in the newspapers."

"Are the things he wishes difficult to procure?"

"This is the list," said Dr. Taunton, taking a paper from his pocket. "You will see that they are all sufficiently simple.

"'Two rings of iron, four or five inches in diameter, interlocked and welded firmly.

"'A ten-inch cube of hard wood.

"'A six-inch cube of iron.

"'A sealed letter, written by some member.

"'A carpenter's saw.

"'A gold-fish globe ten inches or so across.

"'Three smaller globes, one filled with red, one with blue, and one with a colorless liquid.

"'A scale on which a man may be weighed.

"'A stick of sealing-wax.

"'A flower-pot filled with earth.

"'An orange seed.'"

"The articles are simple enough," Judge Hobart commented. "Are the arrangements required difficult?"

"No. He asks for a committee to examine him in the dressing-room; a platform insulated with glass and some substance he will furnish, and a little matter of the arrangement of lights that is easy enough."

The members of the Club meditated in silence for a moment, and then Professor Gray spoke.

"It must depend, it seems to me," he said, "on the sort of a man your mysterious magician is. If he is a person to be trusted, I should say go ahead."

"He is a gentleman," the President answered; "a man of social standing, money, education, and with a reputation in his special branch of knowledge both here and in Europe. If I named him, you would, I feel sure, give him a hearing without question."

"What is his specialty?" one member inquired.

"I hardly think it would be fair for me to tell. It would possibly be too good a clue to his identity."

"Is it fair to ask if it is connected with any psychical branch?"

"Not in the least. I think I said at the start that I never suspected him of any interest in such subjects. He was asked to join this Club, and declined."

"Did he give any particular reason?"

The President smiled satirically.

"He said it would never accomplish anything."

"Perhaps that shows his common sense," Judge Hobart observed dryly. "I am bound to say that it has not accomplished much thus far. What I do not understand is why at this late day he takes an interest in our work."

"He did n't go into that. He did not seem especially anxious. He merely told me that he was willing to show the Club certain things, and named his conditions. That is about the whole of it."

"Well," observed Judge Hobart, with his air of burly frankness, "I vote we have him. The only reason for shying off is that so many fellows, otherwise sensible, lose their heads the moment they try to investigate anything psychical."

"Is that a reflection on our Club?" Professor Gray asked good-naturedly.

In the end the decision was that the President should be instructed to make arrangements with the unknown, and an evening was chosen for the meeting. The place was left to the President, to be imparted to the members confidentially on the day appointed. Then the gentlemen went their several ways, each, except the President who knew, speculating upon the possible identity of the mysterious wonder-worker.