“Dear, dear!” he said at last.  “My bankers!”

He looked at Lewisham with the exaggerated mildness of his spectacled eye.  “What do you think it means?” he asked.  “Has he gone mad?  We have been conducting some experiments involving—­considerable mental strain.  He and I and a lady.  Hypnotic—­”

“I should look at my cheque-book if I were you.”

Lagune produced some keys and got out his cheque book.  He turned over the counterfoils.  “There’s nothing wrong here,” he said, and handed the book to Lewisham.

“Um,” said Lewisham.  “I suppose this—­I say, is this right?”

He handed back the book to Lagune, open at the blank counterfoil of a cheque that had been removed.  Lagune stared and passed his hand over his forehead in a confused way.  “I can’t see this,” he said.

Lewisham had never heard of post hypnotic suggestion and he stood incredulous.  “You can’t see that?” he said.  “What nonsense!”

“I can’t see it,” repeated Lagune.

For some seconds Lewisham could not get away from stupid repetitions of his inquiry.  Then he hit upon a collateral proof.  “But look here!  Can you see this counterfoil?”

“Plainly,” said Lagune.

“Can you read the number?”

“Five thousand two hundred and seventy-nine.”

“Well, and this?”

“Five thousand two hundred and eighty-one.”

“Well—­where’s five thousand two hundred and eighty?”

Lagune began to look uncomfortable.  “Surely,” he said, “he has not—­Will you read it out—­the cheque, the counterfoil I mean, that I am unable to see?”

“It’s blank,” said Lewisham with an irresistible grin.

“Surely,” said Lagune, and the discomfort of his expression deepened.  “Do you mind if I call in a servant to confirm—?”

Lewisham did not mind, and the same girl who had admitted him to the seance appeared.  When she had given her evidence she went again.  As she left the room by the door behind Lagune her eyes met Lewisham’s, and she lifted her eyebrows, depressed her mouth, and glanced at Lagune with a meaning expression.

“I’m afraid,” said Lagune, “that I have been shabbily treated.  Mr. Chaffery is a man of indisputable powers—­indisputable powers; but I am afraid—­I am very much afraid he has abused the conditions of the experiment.  All this—­and his insults—­touch me rather nearly.”

He paused.  Lewisham rose.  “Do you mind if you come again?” asked Lagune with gentle politeness.

Lewisham was surprised to find himself sorry.

“He was a man of extraordinary gifts,” said Lagune.  “I had come to rely upon him....  My cash balance has been rather heavy lately.  How he came to know of that I am unable to say.  Without supposing, that is, that he had very remarkable gifts.”