ou must obtain a stone called the Red Laryx,' he said. 'It is to be
found in great quantities on the three-hundred fathom level, forty
miles to the west-south-west of North Aran Island, and can be procured
for you by the same man that gets the weeds for Hamar and Curtis. It
is a blood-red pebble, covered with peculiarly vivid green spots, and
cannot be mistaken. Sit with it pressed against your forehead for an
hour every morning, and concentrate hard on amalgamating yourself with
it--_i.e._ passing into it, and its properties will gradually be
imparted to you. Do this regularly, for a week, and by the end of that
time, you will be able to experiment with animals. All you will have
to do, will be to hold the stone slightly clenched in your left hand,
whilst, with your right, you make these signs in the air,' and he
showed me certain passes. 'Stare fixedly into the animal's eyes all
the while, and, by the time you have finished making the passes, you
will find the animals are subdued. Pronounce these words
"Meta--ra--ka--va--Avakana," holding up, as you do so, your right hand
with the thumb turned down and held right across the palm, and the
little finger stretched out as wide as it will go, and you will
understand what any animal wishes to say.'
"He ceased speaking, and approaching close to me, tapped my forehead;
whereupon there was a blank; and on recovering consciousness, I found
myself in bed, feeling somewhat exhausted and very cold."
"You have no recollection of coming to see us, in your pyjamas, about
two o'clock in the morning?" Hamar asked.
"Don't talk rot," Kelson said. "I'm in no mood for fooling, I've got a
chill on my liver."
"What was it, Leon?" Curtis inquired.
"A case of unconscious projection," Hamar said. "Clearly the work of
the Unknown. We must commence carrying out the instructions at once."
At the end of a week, Hamar, Kelson and Curtis, began to put in
practice their newly acquired properties.
Hamar tested his, in a first-class railway carriage, on the London,
Brighton & South Coast Railway.
"I'll go for a day's trip to Brighton," he said, "and cheat the
Company. They deserve it."
He went to Victoria, and ignoring the booking-office, calmly seated
himself in a first-class compartment, where, amongst other occupants,
sat a quite remarkably proper-looking clergyman, and a very handsomely
dressed lady, with a haughty stare, and a typical _nouveau riche_
nose!
When the ticket col
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