"In the seventh and final stage you will be given the complete mastery of every art and science--including astrology, astronomy, necromancy, etc.; and for this stage is reserved the greatest power of all--namely, the complete dominion over woman's will and affections. The powers of creating life, and of extending life beyond the now natural limit, and of avoiding accidents, will never be conferred on you. Neither shall you learn, not at least during your physical existence--who or what we are, or the secrets of creation. "Each successive stage will cancel the preceding one--that is to say, the powers you have acquired in the first stage will be annulled on your arriving at the second stage, and so on. But if you carry out your compact faithfully--that is to say, if at the end of the twenty-one months you are still united--all the powers you have held hitherto, in the different stages, temporarily, will return to you and remain in your possession permanently. Have you anything to say?" "Yes!" Hamar answered; "I fully understand all you have explained to us and I like the idea of it immensely. The fear of our coming to any serious loggerheads and of dissolving partnership doesn't worry me much--but I must say, it seems very remote--the prospect of gaining such tremendous powers--powers that will give us practically everything we want--save youth--" "Youth you will never regain," lisped the voice. "And elixirs of life, surely you must know, are no longer sought after, by beings of the planet Earth. They are quite out of date. You will, of course, learn the most efficacious means of making yourselves and other people youthful in appearance." "Yes, but how shall we learn these secrets?" Kelson nerved himself to ask. "They will be revealed to you in various ways--sometimes when asleep. You will receive preliminary instructions as to divination before this time to-morrow." "And meanwhile, we shall be in want of money," Curtis remarked. "No!" the voice replied, "you will not be in want of money. Have you anything more to ask?" No one spoke, and the silence that followed was interrupted by a loud rustling of the wind. The darkness then lifted; but nothing was to be seen--nothing save the trees and bushes, moon and stars. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 16: This is a very sinister sign in astrology, denoting the presence of evil influences of all kinds.--(_Author's note._)]