narrow the circle. Howard, you are a suspect.
You are ruled out of the next sitting."

"Oh no," protested Howard. "That isn't fair. I did nothing, I swear!"

"You admit being a prestidigitator?"

"Yes, but I had nothing to do with this performance."

"Nevertheless, so far as conclusive proof is concerned, your presence in
the circle invalidates it. Now I propose that Mrs. Smiley go to Miller's
house, with no one present but Mr. and Mrs. Cameron and Mr. and Mrs.
Miller. If we secure these same phenomena under Miller's conditions, we
will then readmit one by one the entire membership of the society."

Mrs. Quigg resented being left out, and I pretended surprise.

"I thought from what you had said that these 'dark shows' were of no
value?"

"The next one ought to have decided value if Professor Miller has any
share in the test," she answered, quickly. "I believe in him."

"And not in me? That's a nice thing to say."

"I mean in his method. He is a cold, calm, merciless scientist. You're a
man of imagination."

"Thank you," said I. "My critics would take issue with you there.
However, if we get anywhere in this campaign we must begin with the
smallest possible circle and slowly enlarge it. We hope also to increase
the amount of light."

After some further argument, Cameron settled the matter by saying:
"Garland is right; and, to show my own scientific temper, I rule Mrs.
Cameron and myself out of the next sitting. That will put the whole
problem up to Miller and Garland."

Miller and I walked away to the club together, pondering deeply on the
implications of the night's performance.

"I don't see how it was done," Miller repeated. "Certainly she did not
rise from her chair, not for an instant, and yet to believe that she did
not have a hand in what took place is to admit the impossible. You have
had other sittings with her, haven't you? You believe in her?"

"Yes, I think she is sincere, but possibly self-deceived. The fact that
she is willing to put herself into our hands in this way is most
convincing."

"There is nothing of the trickster about her appearance, and yet I wish
she had permitted us to hold her hands to-night."

"Miller," said I, earnestly, "if you'll go with me into this
experimentation with an open mind, I'll convince you that Crookes and
Flammarion are the true scientists. It is the fashion to smile at
Flammarion as a romantic astronomer, but I can't see _now_ that he is
lacking in pati