“Miss Langdon comes under that heading better than anyone else,” interpolated Pauline, and her spiteful manner made her meaning plain, but Marjorie did not flinch under the attack. She was about to speak when Potter answered for her. “That is a matter of no moment,” he broke in. “If Janet voluntarily alienated her free-will to a magnetizer, though the latter may be only a casual acquaintance, she is at his or her mercy; and by the law of habit and repetition the control of a subject becomes more easy and complete.” “But is not a long interval required in which to hypnotize a person?” asked Pauline doubtfully. “No. Hypnotic sleep can be produced and terminated in the time it takes a subject to traverse a short passage from door to door, and an auto-suggestion can be made in fifteen seconds and affected in all places and at any hour of the day.” Fordyce glanced at the physician appalled. “What a frightful power for evil in unscrupulous hands. Surely Janet will be able to tell us who has gained so fearful a hold over her.” Potter shook his head. “A suggestion will destroy all recollection of what occurred during hypnotism. As a rule the process which produced the auto-suggestion leaves no trace of its symptoms, and the subject does not remember the way it was produced, and is altogether ignorant of the original source of the impulse she has received.” “Are we to sit here and do nothing, Paul?” demanded Duncan hotly. The opening of the hall door interrupted him. “Why are you all staying in here?” asked Janet, from the doorway. “Our other guests have left....” A stricken silence prevailed as she advanced into the room, and she was just becoming aware of their concentrated attention when Potter leaned forward, picked up the chamois-covered hammer and struck the Chinese gong until the vibrations filled the room. Thunderstruck, the others looked at him, but he only saw Janet. “Janet, where did you put the ruby pendant?” he asked, authoritatively. A crash broke the tense stillness as a statuette toppled to the floor, but the interruption came too late. Janet was deaf to her surroundings. She was obsessed with but one idea. “I couldn’t find your coat,” she pleaded. “I had to bring the pendant direct to you, Chichester.” Barnard dashed the jewel out of her extended palm and sprang for the door. But he was too late. Tom Nichols, with murder in his heart, was there before him, and he went down under the officer’s blow. “Let me finish him, Duncan,” begged Tom, frantically, as the men dragged him off Barnard. “Let me kill the dastardly hound!” “Control yourself, Nichols,” commanded Potter sternly. “Think of Janet.” The admonition had the desired effect, and Tom, much against his will, permitted Marjorie to lead him away from the prostrate man. “Is Janet in a hypnotic trance?” asked Duncan, staring at his sister.