The Argosy — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

112 Thought-Reading at Lady Clanjamfry’s. cover the eyes, leaving the nose exposed to the air,” said the Professor to the clerical celebrity. The clerical celebrity tried to do as he was desired, but in his anxiety he tied a granny knot; whereupon the eminent physician seized the bandage and wielded it with professional ability. Then Herr Von Boschmann requested Colonel Lyndhurst to conduct him to the front of the platform, and still holding his hand to attach himself to the eminent physician, who in his turn was to clasp the fingers of the clerical celebrity, though the latter in consequence of the slip with the ‘ Granny,’ was reduced to a position of minor importance and was evidently pondering whether such an exhibition were in keeping with his figure and his canonry. So there stood the four black figures against the startling relief of Lady Clanjamfry’s cream coloured boudoir- door; and very foolish they must look, Lyndhurst felt sure, and into his mind darted a feeling of relief that Tom Barrington did not know Lord Curzon’s aunt. He stared straight in front of him and won- dered how much longer this would last, when the Professor in broken English, rendered strangely nasal by the successful bandageing, announced that the chain of influencing power was still incomplete ; that another element was still necessary to make sutficient impression upon him to perform any successful experiments. ‘‘ What we want is the female power, the great lever of the universe,” explained the Professor, with a smile intended to be fascinating, though somewhat marred by the handkerchief. ‘‘ Have we here a young lady, who will so far lay aside her own convenience, as to mount our plat- form and give us her assistance? Is there here a young and beautiful lady of what I would describe as the auburn or purely English type, with fair complexion, hazel eyes, broad forehead and wavy chestnut hair?” Lyndhurst started involuntarily ; it was an obvious description of Mabel Barrington. Could the thought-reader have looked into his mind as he thought of ‘tom and hoped Mabel would never hear of his appearance on Lady Clanjamfry’s platform ? ‘This is the sort of influence I desire to add to my chain of con centrated power,” continued the Professor. ‘Will any lady who corresponds with the description be so very kind as to volunteer ?” Whether the description given by the professor did not altogether accord with the canons of feminine beauty then in vogue, or whether the ladies were shy, does not appear, but it is certain that no ladies seemed inclined to move. ‘The clerical celebrity, anxious to recover his lost prestige, signalled hopefully to an ample lady in black lace in the second row, and even attempted to aes her as “my dear,” but without effect. “ Will no one come to our aid and forward the interesting experi- ments of the evening?” asked Von Boschmann again. ‘‘ There is, I think, in the left-hand corner of the room, a young lady such as we require for our purpose. She is dressed in a white dress with golden CONNIElOOKS (E() mm