e base into a huge scarabaeus. A group of lizards played about on the
surface of the old carved stone. Beyond, the yellow sand stretched away
into furthest space, where the dim mirage mist played along the horizon.

"Mr. Haw, I cannot understand it!" Robert grasped the velvet edge of the
settee, and gazed wildly about him.

"The effect is rather startling, is it not? This Egyptian desert is
my favourite when I lay myself out for a contemplative smoke. It seems
strange that tobacco should have come from the busy, practical West.
It has much more affinity for the dreamy, languid East. But perhaps you
would like to run over to China for a change?"

"Not to-day," said Robert, passing his hand over his forehead. "I feel
rather confused by all these wonders, and indeed I think that they have
affected my nerves a little. Besides, it is time that I returned to my
prosaic Elmdene, if I can find my way out of this wilderness to which
you have transplanted me. But would you ease my mind, Mr. Haw, by
showing me how this thing is done?"

"It is the merest toy--a complex plaything, nothing more. Allow me to
explain. I have a line of very large greenhouses which extends from
one end of my smoking-room. These different houses are kept at varying
degrees of heat and humidity so as to reproduce the exact climates of
Egypt, China, and the rest. You see, our crystal chamber is a tramway
running with a minimum of friction along a steel rod. By pulling this or
that handle I regulate how far it shall go, and it travels, as you have
seen, with amazing speed. The effect of my hot-houses is heightened by
the roofs being invariably concealed by skies, which are really very
admirably painted, and by the introduction of birds and other creatures,
which seem to flourish quite as well in artificial as in natural heat.
This explains the South American effect."

"But not the Egyptian."

"No. It is certainly rather clever. I had the best man in France,
at least the best at those large effects, to paint in that circular
background. You understand, the palms, cacti, obelisk, and so on, are
perfectly genuine, and so is the sand for fifty yards or so, and I defy
the keenest-eyed man in England to tell where the deception commences.
It is the familiar and perhaps rather meretricious effect of a circular
panorama, but carried out in the most complete manner. Was there any
other point?"

"The crystal box? Why was it?"

"To preserve my guests from the