"How did you manage all that?" he asked wonderingly. "Hypnotism," said Durgo shortly. "You heard that Mr. and Mrs. Vand intend to fly to-night?" "I have heard: yet I cannot believe in that hanky-panky." Durgo shrugged his shoulders and argued no more. But when Cyril came to his lodgings, and found a note from Bella stating that she had heard of the Vands' intention of leaving the Manor-house, he disbelieved no longer. Nay, more, for on the authority of Mrs. Tunks' hypnotic confessions, he believed that the Vands also possessed the long-sought-for jewels. CHAPTER XXI A DESPERATE ATTEMPT When the darkness came on, and just as the moon was rising, Lister and Bella proceeded to the plank bridge of the boundary channel. Before leaving Cyril on that afternoon, Durgo had intimated that he wished Miss Huxham to meet him at that hour and at that place, and of course Cyril came also. He had every trust in the negro, who had proved himself in every way to be a man of sterling worth. All the same, he did not intend to let Durgo meet Bella without being present. The black man was far too intimate with unseen forces, to please the white man, and it was necessary to protect Bella, if necessary. "He might put you into a hypnotic trance," explained Cyril, who had described all that had taken place. "I should not let him do that," said the girl decidedly. Cyril shrugged his shoulders. "Durgo might not care if you liked it or not. He would hypnotize you, if he wished." "No, Cyril, he could not do that unless I consented. My will is my own, and it is a strong one. I suppose," said Bella, after a pause, "that he made Granny feel those aches and pains by controlling her subjective mind." Lister glanced sideways at her in surprise. "You seem to know all about it," he declared. "Where did you learn those terms?" "At my school at Hampstead there was a girl who could hypnotise people. She read all manner of books about hypnotism, and talked about the subjective mind, although I don't know what it is. I can understand so much of Durgo's power over Granny. But that sending her spirit to the Manor is strange. I don't believe that he did." "He must have done so," insisted Cyril, "as Durgo did not know that the Vands were leaving, and Granny distinctly stated that they were, in my hearing. Also, if we find that the jewels are in the small portmanteau, marked with the initials M. F., we can be certain that her spirit really did travel." "'M. F.,'" repeated Bella, dreamily: "those are my father's initials." "Maxwell Faith. So they are. Humph! There is something in this business after all, Bella." "But do you really think anyone can separate the spirit from the body?"