"I shall go presently--presently," said Thesiger, in a somewhat curt voice. "Leave us, Helen; there's a good child; go, my dear." "Go, Helen; don't irritate him," I heard Bagwell say. She gave a quick, despairing glance from one man to the other; then, turning, left the room. "And now, Mr. Thesiger," I said, "will you not grant me the favour of a seance?" Mr. Thesiger remained gravely silent for a moment; then he said: "By virtue of your power as a medium, you may be able to hear the voice, and so convince Dr. Laurier of its reality." [Illustration: "It was the strangest scene I ever witnessed." A Master of Mysteries.--Page 207] He then proceeded to go through some elaborate operations, and finally kneeling at the altar, began to speak Hindustanee. It was about the strangest scene I had ever witnessed; and though I stood almost at his elbow, I could hear no sound whatever but his own voice. "Siva will not speak to-night," he said, rising; "there must be some one here whose influence is adverse. I cannot hear him. It is strange!" He looked puzzled, and more relieved than otherwise. "You will go to bed now, sir," said Bagwell; "you look very tired." "I am," he replied. "I will leave my friends with you, Jasper. You will see that they have all they want." He bade Laurier and me a courteous good-night, nodded to his nephew, and left the room. "This is the most extraordinary phase of mental delusion I ever heard of," I said. "If you will permit me, Mr. Bagwell, I will examine this idol more particularly." "You can do so if you please," he said, but he did not speak in a cordial tone. "Examine it to your heart's content," he continued a moment later; "only pray don't disarrange it--he seems to know by instinct if it is touched. Bah! it is sickening. Shall we go into another room, gentlemen?" Watching his face carefully, I resolved to make my examination in private, and now followed him into the smoking-room. We stayed there for a short time, talking in a desultory manner, and soon afterwards retired for the night. On my dressing-table a note awaited me. I opened it hastily, and saw to my surprise that it was from Miss Thesiger. "I could not get the opportunity I needed to-night," she wrote, "but will you meet me in the Laurel Walk to-morrow morning at five o'clock?" I tore up the letter after reading it, and soon afterwards got into bed. I must confess that I slept badly that night; I felt worried and anxious. There was not the least doubt that Thesiger was mad; it was all too apparent that his madness was daily and hourly assuming a more and more dangerous form. The affectionate girl who clung to him ought undoubtedly to be removed from his neighbourhood. At the hour named by Miss Thesiger, I rose, dressed, and stole downstairs through the silent house. I found her as she had indicated in the Laurel Walk. "How good of you to come!" she said. "But we must not talk here; it would not be safe."