"Don't be alarmed," I replied. "This struggle almost always precedes her strongest manifestations. It seems cruel to say so, but, remember, Mrs. Smiley has been through these paroxysms hundreds of times. It appears very painful and exhausting, but she has assured me that 'they' take care of her. She suffers almost no ill effects from her trance." Miller, living up to his character as remorseless scientist, remarked: "I'd like to control her hands. Shall I try?" "Not now, not till the 'guides' consent to it," I replied. "It is said to be dangerous to the psychic to touch her unexpectedly." "I can understand that it might be inconvenient," remarked Harris, with biting brevity. Again we sat in expectant silence until several of the group became restless. "What is she about now?" asked Cameron, wearily. "She is in dead trance, apparently. Please be patient a little while longer. Are you still with us, 'Wilbur'?" I was delighted to hear the three taps that answer "_Yes_." "Will you be able to do something more for us?" _Tap, tap, tap_--given apparently with the pencil. I observed: "From a strictly scientific standpoint, the movement of that pencil, provided it can be proved to have taken place without the agency of any known form of force, is as important as the fall of a mountain. It heralds a new day in science. Is every hand accounted for?" Each answered, "_Yes_." At this moment there was a rustling at the base of the cone. "Listen! 'they' are at work with the horn." The cone rocked slowly on its base, and at last leaped over the shoulders of the sitters and fell with a crash to the floor. "Mercy on us!" gasped Mrs. Cameron. "Don't touch it! Don't move!" I called out. "Everybody clasp hands now. Here is a chance for a fine test. 'Wilbur,' can you put the cone back on the table?" _Tap, tap_, answered "Wilbur." The two taps were given slowly, and I understood them to mean "_Don't know_" or "_Will try_." "Miller," I said, impressively, "unless some one of our circle is betraying us, we are having as good a demonstration as we could expect, barring the absence of light. Be watchful. 'Wilbur,' we're trusting to you now. Let's see what you can do." As I spoke, the horn, with a ringing scrape, left the carpet, and a moment later bumped down upon Mrs. Quigg's head. "Oh!" she shrieked, "it hit me!" Almost immediately a breathy chuckle came from the horn: "_Ha, ha! That shook you up a little, I reckon._" The other women were frozen with horror. "Don't let it touch me," pleaded Miss Brush. And Mrs. Quigg, much shaken, called out: "Frank Howard, are you doing this?" He was highly indignant. "Certainly not. Are you not holding one hand and Miss Brush the other? I am in-no-cent; I swear it!"