The Argosy — page 242: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

184 The Mystery of Allan Grale. ‘* My! how particular the spirits must be !” cried Mrs. Grale. “ Hush!” said Mr. Tempest: “‘ Hush! Listen !” “The figure is coming into view,” the medium was beginning, dreamily. ‘“Itisayoung man. The hair is fair—a lightish brown, and a little curling. The face has a nice colour. It is a pleasant face. Now it is growing sad.” Mrs. Grale was violently agitated. “Tt is standing behind the mistress of the house,” went on the entranced medium. “It smiles and makes a gesture of affection to- wards her. Now the face grows sad again and a little angry ” “Oh, not angry with me!” cried the poor mother. ‘Calm yourself—calm yourself, dearest friend,” Lady Laura en- treated of Mrs. Grale: “or we shall not be able to go on.” “The figure entreats the lady to be calm ; it cannot otherwise com- municate,” proceeded the medium. “It is fading! It wishes much to say something, but it cannot.” ‘‘ All that must mean that Alny 1s dead !” wailed the mother. ‘No, no, it need not,” said Lady Laura. “ But it is the spirits of the dead that appear again,” urged the be- wildered woman ; “ not the spints of the living.” “When clairvoyants are in this mesmeric state they can see living people at a distance,” said Lady Laura. ‘‘ Perhaps your son—if that was your son—is at this moment wishing he was with you, or is asleep and dreaming of you! We might have discovered everything if you could only have been calm.” Mrs. Grale made a supreme effort. ‘I'll try to be,” she said. ‘“‘ The figure is returning,” spoke the medium. “It holds a picture. Such a gloomy place !—a dark pool surrounded by trees. He points to the water !” Mrs. Grale fairly shrieked. ‘The medium shrieked too—and started up with extended arms and glaring eyes. ‘‘ This is one of the dangers to which we are always exposed,” cried Mr. Tempest, in a white heat of suppressed agitation. ‘ Mrs. Grale is too excitable, poor lady. She has disturbed my daughter's peculiar state, and that is dangerous to the medium. And possibly, too, at the same time, my daughter’s gift was brought into contact with something terrible—when it comes suddenly upon a dead body, for instance, there is always a sharp convulsion.” ** Bessie will be taken care of,” said Lady Laura, sweetly. ‘ The controlling spirits will erase every painful picture from her brain before they restore her to herself. But we must think of dear Mrs, Grale. She really must retire.” ‘TI will go with her,” said Lettice Palmer, who herself looked a little pale and tremulous. Poor Mrs. Grale did not object ; she felt too bewildered, too un- happy. During the commotion of their withdrawal, the medium half awoke, gave a few wailing sobs, and then “ went off” again. CONNEC MOOOKS.CO