ol human happiness, you
laugh or sneer."

"Not necessarily. I suppose you refer to your theory of possession by
evil spirits. If you could only furnish any evidence--"

"It isn't my theory. It's as old as Christianity, it's a part of
Christianity. As to evidence, my dear sir, you are blind to evidence.
The young lady I speak of was despaired of by everybody, she was on her
way to an insane asylum, two alienists had declared her case hopeless,
yet, thanks to psychic treatment, she was restored to health and
happiness. Does that impress you? Not at all if you call it a
coincidence. And if I am fortunate enough to cure Mrs. Wells, whom you
have failed to cure, you will call that a coincidence, too."

Dr. Owen tried to control his irritation, but his prejudices got the
better of him.

"Of course I want to see Mrs. Wells cured, but--do you mean to tell me
seriously that you believe she is possessed by an evil spirit?"

"I believe that some malignant influence is near her and able to control
her--intermittently. How else do you account for the facts in her case?
Even Mrs. Wells believes this."

"That is because Seraphine put the notion in her head. It's
unfortunate."

"No, she believes this because of the way her friend died. You know how
she died?"

"Miss Vallis? She died suddenly, but the cause of her death is doubtful.
People die suddenly from all sorts of causes."

"Yes," answered Leroy with a significant tightening of the lips, "and
one of the causes is fear. People die suddenly of fear, doctor."

"Referring to Mrs. Wells and her bad dreams?"

"Precisely. If you had seen her last night--after midnight--watching the
clock with dark, furtive glances, watching, waiting, as the hands
approached half past twelve, you would understand what fear can do to a
woman. That is Mrs. Wells' worst symptom, she is afraid--not all the
time but intermittently."

Owen leaned forward in concentrated attention.

"Why was she in such a state at half past twelve rather than at any
other time?"

"Because the change in her takes place then, the change into her other
personality."

"Fauvette? You saw her--in that personality?"

"Yes. I saw her. Besides, she told me about it in advance. She knows
what is going to take place, but is powerless against it. Every night at
exactly half past twelve there comes a violent period that lasts until
one o'clock. Then she falls into a deep sleep, and a dream begins,
always the same dream,