She smiled and shook her dark head. "To tell you the truth, I'm aware only dimly of what goes on during a séance." "Most mediums say that," nodded Zoberg sagely. As the sun set and the darkness came down, we prepared for the experiment. The dining-room was chosen, as the barest and quietest room in the house. First I made a thorough examination, poking into corners, tapping walls and handling furniture, to the accompaniment of jovial taunts from Zoberg. Then, to his further amusement, I produced from my grip a big lump of sealing-wax, and with this I sealed both the kitchen and parlor doors, stamping the wax with my signet ring. I also closed, latched and sealed the windows, on the sills of which little heaps of snow had begun to collect. "You're kind of making sure, Mr. Wills," said Gird, lighting a patent carbide lamp. "That's because I take this business seriously," I replied, and Zoberg clapped his hands in approval. "Now," I went on, "off with your coats and vests, gentlemen." Gird and Zoberg complied, and stood up in their shirt-sleeves. I searched and felt them both all over. Gird was a trifle bleak in manner, Zoberg gay and bright-faced. Neither had any concealed apparatus, I made sure. My next move was to set a chair against the parlor door, seal its legs to the floor, and instruct Gird to sit in it. He did so, and I produced a pair of handcuffs from my bag and shackled his left wrist to the arm of the chair. "Capital!" cried Zoberg. "Do not be so sour, Mr. Gird. I would not trust handcuffs on Mr. Wills--he was once a magician and knows all the escape tricks." "Your turn's coming, Doctor," I assured him. Against the opposite wall and facing Gird's chair I set three more chairs, melting wax around their legs and stamping it. Then I dragged all other furniture far away, arranging it against the kitchen door. Finally I asked Susan to take the central chair of the three, seated Zoberg at her left hand and myself at her right. Beside me, on the floor, I set the carbide lamp. "With your permission," I said, and produced more manacles. First I fastened Susan's left ankle to Zoberg's right, then her left wrist to his right. Zoberg's left wrist I chained to his chair, leaving him entirely helpless. "What thick wrists you have!" I commented. "I never knew they were so sinewy." "You never chained them before," he grinned. With two more pairs of handcuffs I shackled my own left wrist and ankle to Susan on the right. "Now we are ready," I pronounced. "You've treated us like bank robbers," muttered Gird. "No, no, do not blame Mr. Wills," Zoberg defended me again. He looked anxiously at Susan. "Are you quite prepared, my dear?" Her eyes met his for a long moment; then she closed them and nodded. I, bound to her, felt a relaxation of her entire body. After a moment she bowed her chin upon her breast. "Let nobody talk," warned Zoberg softly. "I think that this will be a successful venture. Wills, the light."