The Professor and the Doctor looked around them in amazement. Who had addressed them? The room was empty. Their faces now began to look scared at this new Mystery, until Steinberg whispered to his friend, “She spoke to us last evening of ‘Voices.’ This must be one of them! I am certain it did not emanate from her own lips. Ricardo, this is better than I anticipated! Light is already breaking through the darkness. Depend upon it, this girl has been a medium for years, without knowing it, and we shall be the means of developing her occult faculties. Let us interrogate our unknown ally. Are you a friend?” he continued, addressing the invisible owner of the voice, “will you tell us your name? Are we doing right? Will you help us in our researches?” But to these questions there came no reply. Hannah seemed to be sleeping in the chair, but presently she rose to her feet and with a deep sigh, as though she was doing something against her own inclination, staggered into the dark séance room, and seated herself upon the cushions. “Shall we follow her?” demanded Steinberg of Ricardo. “I suppose so! I do not know what to think. This is a totally new experience to me!” Notwithstanding they did follow the girl, whom they found apparently sleeping on the floor, her figure being thrown across the cushions. Something awed them to that extent, that they did not dare close the door and shut out all the light, but left it slightly ajar, so that a ray from the gas lamp was thrown like a bar of pale gold into the gloomy room. Then they crept up to Hannah’s side, expecting they knew not what, and bent over her prostrate form. “What will happen next?” said Steinberg. “We must wait and see!” replied Ricardo. “You won’t have to wait long!” exclaimed the same voice which had addressed them before, “didn’t I tell you that when I chose the medium would enter the séance room?” “She _is_ a medium, then?” said the Professor. “Rather! One of the finest mediums this world has ever produced. But you must be careful how you use her! She will assimilate with any spirit that possesses her!” “Are we doing right?” demanded the Doctor, “will our curiosity injure this girl?” “I will take care that you do not injure her! That is what I am here for.” “Who are you?” “The guiding control of this medium.” “I mean, who were you, when you lived upon this earth? Or did you ever live here?” “Did I ever live here? How do you suppose I found my way back if I had never lived here? Of course I did. But as for your other question, I don’t see that it is any concern of yours. I might deceive you so easily, that I had better begin by telling you the truth, and that is that I have no intention you shall know my real name. You can call me James.” “Will you tell us, then, why you come to us?” “I did not come to you! I accompanied my medium. I led her to you. I have long wished to place her suitably, and I think you will treat her gently and use her well.”