bare, her slender throat
supporting her small head with its heavy curls, her big hat--a picture
of young grace and beauty. She would have had an easy task that night
had there been men instead of women to put her to the test. But the
women were intent upon their own ends: Mme. Dauvray eager for her
seance, Adele Tace and Helene Vauquier for the climax of their plot.

Celia clenched her hands to make the muscles of her wrists rigid to
resist the pressure of the cord. Adele quietly unclasped them and
placed them palm to palm. And at once Celia became uneasy. It was not
merely the action, significant though it was of Adele's alertness to
thwart her, which troubled Celia. But she was extraordinarily receptive
of impressions, extraordinarily quick to feel, from a touch, some dim
sensation of the thought of the one who touched her. So now the touch
of Adele's swift, strong, nervous hands caused her a queer, vague shock
of discomfort. It was no more than that at the moment, but it was quite
definite as that.

"Keep your hands so, please, mademoiselle," said Adele; "your fingers
loose."

And the next moment Celia winced and had to bite her lip to prevent a
cry. The thin cord was wound twice about her wrists, drawn cruelly
tight and then cunningly knotted. For one second Celia was thankful for
her gloves; the next, more than ever she regretted that she wore them.
It would have been difficult enough for her to free her hands now, even
without them. And upon that a worse thing befell her.

"I beg mademoiselle's pardon if I hurt her," said Adele.

And she tied the girl's thumbs and little fingers. To slacken the knots
she must have the use of her fingers, even though her gloves made them
fumble. Now she had lost the use of them altogether. She began to feel
that she was in master-hands. She was sure of it the next instant. For
Adele stood up, and, passing a cord round the upper part of her arms,
drew her elbows back. To bring any strength to help her in wriggling
her hands free she must be able to raise her elbows. With them trussed
in the small of her back she was robbed entirely of her strength. And
all the time her strange uneasiness grew. She made a movement of
revolt, and at once the cord was loosened.

"Mlle. Celie objects to my tests," said Adele, with a laugh, to Mme.
Dauvray. "And I do not wonder."

Celia saw upon the old woman's foolish and excited face a look of
veritable consternation.

"Are you afraid, Celie