ass, and looked out of the window. Who could they be? They seemed to
be having a cosy time together; but beyond the fact that one figure was
a woman she could learn nothing. She wanted to take a look through the
telescope, but did not dare to move the little camera that stood before
it.

"Here's the picture," said Elmer as he entered the room.

Alma took the bit of glass he offered her, but declared she couldn't see
anything but a dirty spot on the glass.

"That's the negative. Let me copy it, and then I'll throw it up with the
stereopticon."

He selected another bit of glass from a box, and in a few minutes had it
prepared and the two put together and laid in the sun on the
window-seat.

"What's in that iron box, Elmer?"

"Nitrous oxide."

"The same thing that the dentists use?"

"Yes. Would you like to try a whiff? It's rather jolly, and will not
hurt you in the least."

Elmer caught up a bit of rubber pipe, secured one end to the iron chest
and inserted the other in a mouthpiece having the proper inhalation and
exhalation valves.

"Put that in your mouth for a moment."

Alma, with beautiful confidence, put the tube in her mouth, and in a
moment her pretty head fell back against the back of the chair in deep
sleep. With wonderful speed and skill Elmer rolled a larger camera that
stood in a corner out into the centre of the room, ran in a slide,
adjusted the focus, and before the brief slumber passed had a negative
of the sleeping one.

"Oh, how odd! What a queer sensation to feel yourself going and going,
off and off, till you don't know where you are!"

"It is rather queer. I've often taken the gas myself--just for fun. Now,
Alma, if you will let down the curtains, and close the shutters, and
make the room dark, I'll light the lantern and show you the picture."

Alma shut the blinds, drew down the curtains, and closed all the
shutters save one.

"Won't it be too dark?"

"No. It must be quite dark. You can stand here in the middle of the room
and look at that bit of bare wall between the windows. I left that space
clear for a screen."

Alma eagerly took her place, and said with a laugh:

"If this is the pursuit of pure science, it is very amusing. I'd like to
study science--in this way."

"Yes, it is rather interesting----"

"Oh, Elmer, it's pitch dark."

"Never mind. Stand perfectly still and watch the wall. There--there's
the spot of light. Now I'll run in the positive."

A round spot