Marsten went on. "If I show that _you_ can read _my_ mind, that should prove my theories to your satisfaction. I shall do this without any hypnotic suggestion. "I have not told anyone of the techniques which I've worked out over a period of years, not even Max Reinach here. This will be my first group demonstration of my theories. Until I was ready to give conclusive scientific proof I did not confide fully to anyone, even to Max, my closest associate." He had told me a little, that is true. So little, in fact, that I knew not much more about his theories than the rest of the scientists gathered here tonight. "... and so, gentlemen, I shall get the experiment over with as quickly as possible. There are two rooms, as you see, one at each end of the hall. I shall go into one room and lock the door. It is impossible for me to see or hear anything that goes on outside that room. Before the experiment starts I shall ask you to examine that room yourselves, in any way you like." De Vaca and Dr. Morrison went into the room, examined it thoroughly. Then one of them stayed inside while the other came out, closed the door, tested for sound. Finally, Morrison said, "We agree--it is a sound-proof room. It is bare inside. There is no opening other than this door." "Thank you," Marsten said. "Max, will you hand each of these gentlemen one of these cards and a pencil." I took the cards and pencils from his table and handed them out. "Now," Marsten said, "one by one, you will go, in any sequence you desire, into that other room and lock the door. I will be locked in this room that you checked. A bell in the room you are in will ring. That will be the signal for you to leave the room and for someone else to go in. "During the time each of you is in that room, please keep your minds open, receptive for a thought impression you will receive from me. That's all there is to the experiment. Excepting this--" he lifted a sealed envelope from the table. "This contains proof which will verify the success of this experiment. I leave it here. You will, as a committee, lock it in the safe upstairs in the business office. Take it from the safe only after the experiment is over." So the experiment started. I sat over by the wall, watching their faces. I observed the way each man, in his own highly personalized way, got up and played his part in an experiment which he believed to be ridiculous. I remember how each of them looked and acted as they, one by one, went into that room, locked the door, and came out later when the bell rang. I studied closely their faces as each came out. They went in embarrassed silence back to their chairs and sat down, each holding a card upon which they had written the thought supposedly received from Marsten. I felt the terrific tension. The room seemed hot and stifling as Marsten came out of his room finally and went over to the table. His face was pale and moist. His hair was wet and stringy around his ears and over his forehead.