The Master of Silence

tered it. Suddenly a door swung on its creaking hinges and a feeble old man, holding a lamp in one hand, stood grinning at me in the opening. It was the same face that I saw before, bu

o indicate that I was to follow him very closely. Then he opened the big door and I was surprised to observe that it led into the outer air. What gulf of darkness are we about to plunge into? I asked myself, peering through the doorway; and as we stepped out I heard again that ominous whirring. Close upon his heels I followed in a narrow path, through what seemed to be a large courtyard, overgrown with thick grass. Presently he stopped, and, taking a bunch of keys from his pocket, unlocked a door in a back wing of the house. Reaching out until his hand touched me, as if to make sure that I was there, he swung the door open and we stepped into a dimly lighted apartment. My mysterious guide turned up the wick of a lamp that was burning on a table in the centre of the room. It was a library, with great shelves of books reaching from floor to ceiling along its walls. A large galvanic battery, globes, charts and other contri

re thin, and drawn closely together above a square, protruding chin. The nose was aquiline and prominent, with large, but fin

were partially paralyzed. I would not have been able to distinguish his words but for the silence of that room and the unna

d, looking at m

ead," I

id he give yo

e is de

e repeated, slowly and thoughtfu

d he faced me almost sternly as he finished speakin

did you c

ak. My presence seemed to irritate and annoy him. Why, indeed, had I c

toward me. In a moment he had thrown his arms about my neck

f life-immortal life. But I beg you to go. To one like you this house w

"Don't send me away. Perhaps I

in great trouble and need help, but you are a

as quite dumfounded and knew not what to say. Presently he began writing upon large sheets

hank God! There is an interior language for which speech is an imperfect medium. Through that interior language thought is communicated directly and truthfully. I used it long before I came here-imperfectly, to be sure, but with a small degree of satisfaction to myself. Through it I was able to heal the sick when others failed. I knew how they

t interruption. We planned to live unknown among those around us. When she died I saw in the child an opportunity. I determined to make its life a grand experiment; to preserve and cultivate its native intuitions-the germ of the power of direct comm

day. His life may be long extended and he cannot live alone, nor among men, for he would be a stranger and friendless-feared and dreaded

? I asked myself, regarding him with amazement. He had eyes dark as night, set under a broad forehead, about which wavy masses of tawny hair fell gracefully. His stately form was erect and firm as a statue. For a moment his eyes looked into mine; then he advanced and took my hand. Tenderly he pressed it to his lips, stepping back as he did so and looking at me with a half-curious, half-amused expression. I was so startled by the unexpected appearance of this remarkable figure that I had not, until now, noticed that a large lion had followed him into the room and was lying quietly at his feet. I was not afraid; indeed, the king of beasts seemed but a part of the man's masterful pr

aid my uncle, in a hoarse wh

e no

he name she gave him. Rayel, the wonderful. He will love you as

d tried to think with calmness on the experience I had passed through. Bolting the door securely, I threw open one of the window blinds. To my surprise the first light of dawn was visible in the sky. My room was in the rear of the house. Between me and the high wall was a dense tangle of underbrush, barely visible in the dim light. H

my shoulder as he sat down beside me, with a smiling face. "Raye

or I wish to

ou have brought the world to him. Already h

ons touching the changes in ou

the midnight interviews with his messenger and with Mr. Earl. He listened to me with grav

nt-they meant to kil

r suspected that! I would never before have permitted such a hideous suspicion to enter my mind. Was it possible that Mr. Earl had sent me away

e devil would live alone on earth. We shall know some time-I tell you

his words were mispronounced and separated by long pauses; but his manner was marvelously expressive, and ofte

on its downward course, the house, and the walls of living green, were visible. Out of this Eden-like spot we passed into another wing of the building with large windows looking out upon it. Rayel met us at the door, dressed in a black robe of silk that hung gracefully from his shoulders. Again he took my hand and kissed it, then looked into my eyes with the same expression of curious interest upon his face that I had

rful!"

he took my hand and walked back and forth across the room with me, smiling in great delight. I was fascinated by one of the pictures which showed a great gleaming eye with a suggestion o

," said my uncle, who

his own eyes-the falling snow, the changing phases of the sky and of vegetation-for they were presented with a stronger and more vivid touch. Until the fading twilight blended all color into gloom I passed from one canvas to another along the wall in silence, oblivious of

late,"

uncle's retreat among his books and papers

returning," said he. "

you speak to you

sm had been neglected. It was an imperfect agent of the mind. Many of my faculties were lost. These circumstances stood between us like barriers. It was the beginning of each communication

ave lost the power of spee

has command of my knowledge. He has never seen the world, but he knows about it. I tried to begin my life anew and to forget

then, learn

tter if he could speak now

deep and tremulous, gradually growing louder, filling the ear with its message, and lifting the mind to lofty heights of thought and passion. We both sat li

o me with surprise on his face. "He go

erfully like that of Hester Chaffin. I sat amazed, staring at it. But the likeness was not exact, the face was idealized-as I had see