“And then, as soon as you went out together, I ran to the cupboard and looked into it.  But for a moment I was confused—­I saw nothing which seemed of any importance—­some bottles and decanters and glasses, a glass tray or two, a pile of rubber gloves.  I couldn’t understand.  I picked up one of the gloves and looked at it, but it was just an ordinary glove.  Then farther back, I saw some others—­their finger-tips were stained with ink—­and then another, lying by itself.  I looked at it, I saw the patches on the finger-tips—­I saw the stains—­and then I understood.  I do not know how I understood, or why—­it was like a flash of lightning, revealing everything.  And then, as I stood there, with the glove in my hand, I heard Senor Silva returning.”

She paused a moment, and I could see the shiver which ran through her at the recollection.

“It was not that I was afraid,” she said; “it was that I seemed to be lost.  I let the draperies fall, ran to the divan and sat down before the sphere.  I could think of nothing else to do.  I can still see his astonished face when he entered and found me sitting there.

“‘I was waiting for you,’ I said, trying to smile.  ’You remember I was to have another lesson to-night.’

“‘Yes,’ he said, and looked at me, his eyes kindling.

“I was trembling inwardly, for suddenly I began to fear him; I knew that I must keep my head, that I must not yield to his will, or I would be swept away.

“‘I thought Mr. Lester would never go,’ I said.

“He came to the divan and sat down close beside me, and looked into my eyes.

“‘Did the time really seem so long?’ he asked.

“‘It seemed very long,’ I said.

“He gazed at me for another moment, then rose quickly and turned on the light.

“‘Sit where you are,’ he said, ’and I will sit here.  Fix your eyes upon the sphere and your mind upon the Infinite Mind—­so shall great wisdom come to you.’

“I felt my will crumbling to pieces; I closed my eyes and crushed the glove within my hand, and thought of this man’s villainy and of the part I must play, if I were to defeat him.  His voice went on and on, but gradually I ceased to hear it—­I was thinking of the glove, of escape, of Fred....”

Yea, love is strong, I told myself, and it giveth to the dove the wisdom of the serpent, else how had this child come victorious from such an ordeal!

“I do not know how long I sat there,” Miss Vaughan continued, “but Senor Silva rose suddenly with an exclamation of impatience and switched on the light.

“‘There is something wrong,’ he said, coming back and standing over me.  ‘Some hostile influence is at work.  What is it?’

“‘I do not know,’ I said.  ‘I cannot lose myself as I did last night.’

“‘Something holds you to earth—­some chain.  Perhaps it is your own wish.’

“‘No, no!’ I protested.  ‘Let us try again.’