She drew away from him. He heard her cross the room, but he did not dare to peer at her between his lashes, lest she should be watching and see him do it. He knew that she sank upon a chair, and rested there for a time, breathing heavily, as if the effort to which she had put herself had fatigued her greatly. After a time, when she seemed entirely to have recovered, she approached him again. This time she spoke commandingly, as if she were ordering some menial to do her will. “Nicholas Carter!” she said sharply. “Answer me!” “Yes,” he replied dully. “You are my slave, are you not? Answer.” “Yes. I am your slave.” “You will do my will, as I direct? Answer.” “I will do your will—as you direct,” he replied. “Hereafter, when I raise my hand—so—open your eyes that you may see me now—when I raise my hand, so, you will lose the power of resisting me. Answer.” “Hereafter, when you raise your hand, so, I will lose the power of resisting you,” he repeated in a sing-song voice. Again she walked away from him, crossing the room to one of the windows, and this time, as the detective’s eyes were open, he could watch her. He saw her stand there for a time looking out upon the street, and he heard her murmur broken sentences to herself. “To think that this man should also succumb to me! He seemed too strong, at first. I have overpowered him. When will it all end.” And more to that effect; then, with a deep sigh she turned about again and went to him. “Nick Carter,” she said, standing in front of him. “Yes?” he replied. “I am about to awaken you now. You will forget that you have slept. You will remember, only, a belief that I shall give you now.” “Yes.” “You will believe that you have held me tightly in your arms; that my head has been pillowed upon your breast; that you have told me of your love for me; that I have confessed my love for you. You will implicitly believe all that, when you awaken.” “Yes. I will believe all that.” “And, when you are seemingly in your right mind, you will look your love for me; you will feel it, too, through all your being—but you will make no effort to demonstrate it. You will not so much as touch me with your hands. You will be the slave to my will. You will love me with all your strength, and you will believe that I return that love—poor fool. And now, awake! I command it! Awake, Nick Carter!” But it was no part of Nick Carter’s policy to wake up just then. He believed there was more to be learned if Juno believed him to be in the hypnotic trance, and he realized that there would never be another opportunity like the present one for learning things that he wished to know about. So, instead of starting fully awake, as she had commanded him to do, he sprang up only half alive to things about him, seemingly; and he did the very thing which he knew would compel her to reduce him again, as she would suppose, to the hypnotic trance. He seized her in his arms.