ossess in large or minute
degree. As the muscles of the arm are developed by practice, so can the
wonderful internal electrical apparatus of man be strengthened and
enlarged by use. The world in its youth knew this; the world in its age
forgets, as an old man forgets or smiles disdainfully at the past
sports of his childhood. But do not let us talk any more to-night. If
you think your ideas of me are correct---"

"I am sure they are!" I cried triumphantly.

Zara held out her arms to me.

"And you are sure you love me?" she asked.

I nestled into her embrace and kissed her.

"Sure!" I answered. "Zara, I love and honour you more than any woman I
ever met or ever shall meet. And you love me--I know you do!"

"How can I help it?" she said. "Are you not one of us? Good-night,
dearest! Sleep well!"

"Good-night!" I answered. "And remember Prince Ivan asked for your
pardon."

"I remember!" she replied softly. "I have already pardoned him, and I
will pray for him." And a sort of radiant pity and forbearance
illumined her lovely features, as we parted for the night. So might an
angel look on some repentant sinner pleading for Heaven's forgiveness.

I lay awake for some time that night, endeavouring to follow out the
track of thought I had entered upon in my conversation with Zara. With
such electricity as Heliobas practised, once admitting that human
electric force existed, a fact which no reasoning person could deny,
all things were possible. Even a knowledge of superhuman events might
be attained, if there were anything in the universe that WAS
superhuman; and surely it would be arrogant and ignorant to refuse to
contemplate such a probability. At one time people mocked at the wild
idea that a message could flash in a moment of time from one side of
the Atlantic to the other by means of a cable laid under the sea; now
that it is an established fact, the world has grown accustomed to it,
and has ceased to regard it as a wonder. Granting human electricity to
exist, why should not a communication be established, like a sort of
spiritual Atlantic cable, between man and the beings of other spheres
and other solar systems? The more I reflected on the subject the more
lost I became in daring speculations concerning that other world, to
which I was soon to be lifted. Then in a sort of half-doze, I fancied I
saw an interminable glittering chain of vivid light composed of circles
that were all looped one in another, which see