“Yes, Dr. Lyman told me I was mediumistic, and that if I would sit down at just the same time every evening, and allow myself to become entirely passive I would soon be made the instrument to take and convey the words of the invisible to the visible. I did not think, however, to obtain this so soon.” “O Mrs. Lucien, how could you lend yourself to such experiments? You would not deceive me, would you? Tell me truly, did you know what you were doing when you wrote that message to me?” “No more than I know what I do in my sleep. I have a feeling that I have had dreams, but I cannot recall them.” “Did this ever happen before?” “I have had this feeling and a partial remembrance of dreams, but I do not know what I have ever written.” “Do you think Dr. Lyman had anything to do with this?” “No, only so far as he has assisted in developing me.” “What do you mean by that?” “I think he exercised some—mesmeric power or influence over me, while in attendance at his lectures.” “You horrify me! And would you continue to go and hear him, when you knew this?” “Why, yes. I hoped he might develop me into a medium. Why should I not?” Mrs. Lucien’s innocent, dark eyes looked up inquiringly. “I think it is dreadful—dreadful! I would not be under his influence for anything.” “But it is not his influence. It is—Oh! I cannot tell you. It is a power from beyond. Why should I fear to speak to those I love?” “I cannot bear to think of it,” Mrs. Wylie said, shivering. “We do not know to whom we are talking. We have no proof of their identity, and know not if the power be good or evil.” “What, not when we see, as we did a short time ago, the faces of those we have known and loved here on earth?” Mrs. Wylie shook her head. “A delusion of the senses!” she said positively. Mrs. Lucien gazed pityingly upon her. “I am sure, dear Mrs. Wylie, that when we see a photograph taken of a spirit face we can not doubt its genuineness. Cameras do not lie.” “Don’t they? I am not sure. I have heard that people have tried to get pictures of materialized spirits, and failed. The camera plate reveals _nothing_, proving the delusions. Did you ever see an authentic spirit-photograph?” “My father did, and I have often heard him tell the story, although he does not profess to believe in spiritism. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and while in the West, a number of years ago, one of his brother knights sickened and died. The family had no good portrait of the man, and my father, who was superintending the funeral arrangements, obtained permission to get some one to take a picture of the corpse.