was standing lengthwise of the room,
the windows were hung with shawls, and a worn hickory chair stood with
arms wide-spread to seize its victim. After surveying the room, Mrs.
Smiley turned to me with a note of satisfaction in her voice, and said:
"I like this room and this furniture; I feel the right associations
here. The air is full of spirit power."

"I am glad your mind is at ease," said I, "for I am anxious for a very
conclusive sitting. You tell 'Mitchell' that Miller is decidedly worth
converting. I want 'Wilbur' to do his best, for I intend to tighten the
bonds on you to-night."

She fearlessly faced me. "I am in your hands, Mr. Garland; do as you
like. Mr. Mitchell told me this morning that he would yet convince you
of the reality of the spirit world. He is assembling all the forces at
his command, and will certainly do everything in his power."

"I am delighted to get that assurance," I responded.

"You are to sit here," said Miller, indicating the hickory chair, which
he had placed near the north wall.

She took her seat meekly, placing her hands resignedly on the wings of
the chair. "I like this chair," she said, with a smile; "it is so
old-fashioned."

"Now," said I, "I am going to ask Mrs. Miller to fasten this long tape
about your ankles. We mean to take every precaution in order that you
may not involuntarily or subconsciously move your limbs."

Under close scrutiny, Mrs. Miller secured each foot in such wise that
the knots came in the middle of the tape, and to make untying them
absolutely impossible, I drew the two ends of the long ribbon back under
the psychic's chair and tacked them securely to the shelf of a bookcase
about two feet from the hind legs. To loosen them was entirely out of
our victim's power.

Miller then unreeled a spool of silk twist, and this I tied squarely to
the arm of the chair at a point about six feet from the loose end which
I intended to hold. I knotted the silk about the psychic's wrists,
drawing it to a hard knot each time, and gave the spool to Miller, while
retaining the loose end of the thread in my own hands. The psychic
could neither touch the tips of her fingers together nor lift her arms
an inch from the chair. She was as secure as if bound with a rope, but
as an extra precaution I passed the thread beneath the chair-arm and
pulled it taut. "This will enable us to feel the lightest movement of
her hands," I said to Miller, who had copied my device. "Are yo