l call Peters, is only about
twenty-four, a boyish professional man of refined habits. He comes of
good family, and, being ambitious in his profession, is careful not to
permit a knowledge of his psychical powers to reach the ears of his
employers. I heard of him through a friend who is deeply interested in
these matters, and who procured for me an invitation to be present at a
sitting in the home of a certain Dr. Towne, on the East Side.

"We met at dinner, and during the meal Dr. Towne told us all he knew of
Mr. Peters, which was little, and, turning to me, said: 'We expect you
to take charge of the circle, Mr. Garland; it's all new to us.'

"'The first thing to do,' I answered, 'is to put the young fellow at
his ease. It is a mighty good sign when a medium is willing to come into
a strange house to perform for a circle as critical and as unfriendly as
this.' 'Oh, not unfriendly,' said Dr. Towne. 'Well,' I said, 'I wouldn't
call three practising physicians, who have never seen a psychic at close
range, a friendly group.'"

"Were there three doctors present?" asked Fowler.

"Yes, and my friend was a notably keen-eyed man himself. I really had no
faith that the young fellow could do anything remarkable for us, but I
didn't say so.

"We were still at the table when our young psychic was announced, and,
with a knowledge of how necessary it was that he should be in a
comfortable frame of mind, I went out to the library to meet him and
make his acquaintance. I wished to put him at his ease--so far as I was
concerned, at least.

"I found him to be but a pale stripling, with slender limbs and
brilliant eyes. He was plainly nervous and a little dogmatic in manner.
He told me that he was twenty-four years of age, but he did not look to
be nineteen. He said he had been aware of his power about four years,
and that his grandfather and a man named 'Evans' were those who most
frequently spoke. 'I have no "guides,"' he said, rather contemptuously.

"The place for the sitting was not especially favorable. It was a
reception-room midway between the doctor's office and the dining-room,
and was rather large and difficult to close off from the rest of the
house. After the windows had been darkened in the usual manner, Peters
arranged the chairs so that his seat came between Dr. Towne and Mrs.
Towne. Dr. Merriam came next to Towne. This brought me two places away
from Peters and next to a stout German woman whose name, as I underst