, said: "As nearly an
hour and three quarters as possible." This was pretty good evidence of
the practically simultaneous experience of my friends in Melbourne at
twelve-thirty A.M., with my own at two-fifteen A.M. in the
neighbourhood of Dunedin.

When I first became acquainted with Mr Myers, shortly after my return
from Australia and New Zealand, I told him this story. He was greatly
interested, but pointed out that it was useless from the evidential
point of view unless I would take the trouble to write one or two
letters to the Colonies.

So I wrote to Mr Kitchener for confirmation of the fact that I was
staying in his house on the night of 31st December 1887, and had told
him of my experience next morning, exactly as here related. Then I had
to get Miss Lizzie Maynard's testimony with regard to her letter to
me, and finally, I think, the testimony of Lily Boyle and her father
that Miss Maynard was their guest in Melbourne on the occasion of the
New Year's Eve dance. These letters are presumably still amongst the
archives of the Society of Psychical Research, and the story was
printed by them in their Proceedings some years ago.

I may add a last evidential touch by saying that when I met Miss Pearl
for the first time after my travels, she referred to the letter she had
received--under favour of my introduction--and quite spontaneously
remarked upon its excellence, adding:

"I could scarcely believe that two young Australian girls, as they
described themselves to me, could have written such an admirable
letter."

I did not disclose the real source of the composition, as the popular
author thinks that she has no belief in spiritualism.

CHAPTER IV

HONG KONG, ALASKA, AND NEW YORK

The spring months of 1888 found me at Brisbane, _en route_ for China,
after spending a pleasant month with old friends on a well-known
station belonging to the late Sir Arthur Hodgson, named Eton Vale, and
situated on the beautiful and healthy Darling Downs of Queensland.

Before returning to Sydney from New Zealand, my female "Dr
Livingstone" had reappeared upon the scene in the most unexpected
manner. Our "historical meeting" took place in an Auckland hotel,
where she suddenly turned up one day, driven back from Samoa by the
intense heat. So after some gentle recriminations, she "having
supposed the delay on my part might mean an entire change of plan,"
and I having supposed--from her letters--that Sydney was such a
P