to the
table does not avail her. Accustomed to have everything her own way, she
fails the first time any real restraint is applied to her."

I was quite at the end of my confident expectancy, when the psychic
began to stir uneasily and "Maudie" spoke complaining of the thread on
her mother's right wrist. "_It's so tight it stops the blood_," she
said. "_Please loosen the thread a little. You may turn up the light_,"
added the little voice.

While Miller gave me a light, I loosened the thread on her right wrist,
which was very tight; but I tied a second thread about her arm in such
wise that I would surely know at the end of the sitting if it had been
disturbed. The table, I observed at the time, was more than two feet
from her finger-tips. I called Miller's attention to this, and said:
"She can't possibly untie these threads, and if she breaks them the
sitting is invalidated."

Soon after the light was turned out "Maudie" requested that we all move
away from Mrs. Smiley, down to the lower end of the table; and although
Miller thought this permitted too much liberty of action on the part of
the medium, I urged consent. "There are other sittings coming," I
repeated once more.

Mrs. Smiley fell again into deep sleep, but nothing took place for a
long time. During this period of waiting I told stories of my experience
and the curious folk I had met in search for the true explanation of
these singular phenomena.

"Have you ever witnessed any materializations?" asked Mrs. Miller.

"Yes; but none of it was of the sort that I could swear to. I mean that
it seemed to me to be either downright trickery or subconscious actions
on the part of the psychic, and yet I've seen some very puzzling
phantoms. I am persuaded that a great deal of what is called 'fraud'
arises from the suggestibility of the psychics. Lombroso speaks of this
'fixed idea' of the mediums, and their persistent, almost insane,
attempt to produce the phenomena desired by the circle. You can
understand how this would be if there is anything at all in hypnotism.
Sometimes it all seems to belong to the realm of hypnotic visions. One
medium helps another to build up this unreal world. Early in my career
as an investigator I went to Onset Bay, where in July of each year all
the spiritualists and 'mejums' of New England used to gather (do yet, I
believe), and I shall never forget the singular assemblage of
'slate-writers,' 'spirit artists,' 'spirit photographers,