The Soul Stealer

illiam Gouldesbrough had been proposing to steal and open a letter written by another man to his fiancée. But a second before, Mr. Eust

hands with her future son-in-law. "Ah, Mr. Charliewood, how do you do?" She gave him a br

ed, and his hand trembled so that the t

olour of deeply ripened corn, made up a personality of singular distinction and charm. She was the sort of girl of whom people asked, "Who is she?" And if younger sons and other peop

id in a clear, bell-like voice. "I hav

f my wits when you came in. Just a moment before, Sir William had mentioned your name, and we were both thinking of you when, as

ning away she went up to her fiancé, making it quite clear that, whatever her opin

oment or two, made a few conventional re

strachan coat upon his arm, then, with a muttered curse which surp

we would just come on and see how you were, in case you might be in. And how is the electricity going? Why don't you invent a flying-machine? I'm sure it would be mo

ediately reply, but old L

ge was an accepted thing, the good lady felt her duty was done. Having satisfied herself of Sir William's position, his banking account and his ge

rom their usual intense calm into flame. The thin-cut lips were slightly

the plot he had been hatching, but only saw before him the radiant girl he adored with all the force

haven't heard from you or seen you for nearly four days? Tell m

n't you? Such a comfort, I think, to have a hobby. It gives a real interest in life. And I'm sure, when a hobby like yours has proved so successful, it's an additional advantage. I have known so many men who have been miserable because they have never had anything to do to amuse them. And unl

e smile that played about her lips was faint and abstracted. Her thoughts seemed

entered, followed by a foo

down with a

all sorts of places. William, why do you have that horrid man, Eustace Charli

side-pocket of his coat, and his fingers had fallen upon a certa

he girl looked at him in surprise. He was not

seful, you know. He attends to a lot of things

orie did n

illiam?" she said at length,

g about you princi

answered quickly. "Tell me about real things, important th

s science. His heart throbbed with anger. It was not thus that he wished to hear her speak. It was he

f himself and his emotion, he turned at once and

ng with power. It became vibrant, thrilling. There wa

laying about her lips, enjoying, in fact, a short and well-earned nap, the great s

ained attention-her lips a little parted, he

of all I am and have done? Listen! Even to you I cannot tell everything. Even to you I cannot give the full results of the problems I have be

o speak ve

work have been but off-shoots of this great central idea, which has been mine since I first began. The other things that have won me fame and fortune were discovered upon the way towards the central object of my life. And now, at last, I find myself in full possession of the truth of all my theories. In a mo

she said almost in a whisper, awe

t which human ingenuity and time have beaten in vain since our first forefathers, is stormed at last! In my hands will shortly b

in her eyes. "Have you done what mother said in

and with a sco

ans of transit quicker and surer than another. But what is it, after all? Mere accurate scientific knowledge supplemented by inventive power. No! Such inventions as the steam-engine, printing, gun

he had risen and w

stared into his face wi

ife can be so strange, so terrible

is? You know that it can be split up into its compon

ows that to-day

nguage. I want you to see the broadest, barest, simplest outlines. Do you know anything

it is the power of one b

How is a brain, not physically touchin

hesitated for a word-"by a sort of cur

They were clasped, and she saw that his wr

ich is constantly giving out strange, subtle, and hitherto uninvestigated currents. It is like the transmitter at the top of Signor Marconi's wireless telegraphy station. Something unseen goes out into the a

-?" sh

s or vibrations, for that is the better word, these

as if the words were forced from her and she spoke them u

There is no one in the world like you. Your brain is keen

xcitement, a shade passed over her fa

this, not that. Tel

passed through a prism, split up into its component parts, and give the secret of its composition to the eye of the scientist. Not only can I collect the mysterious vibrations of the human brain, but I can pas

therto unproved truth about the mechanism of thought. That is an achievement which will send your name ringing down the avenues of the future. But

this or that person, be it a king upon his throne, a girl on her wed

said, and her face had grown very white indeed. "Oh n

ack still further. It was a laugh such as Lucifer might have laughed, w

that," she said, "w

tell you this, if I hint broadly at the outcome of my life's work, I am doing so, believe me, because I have chapter and verse for all I

rds were too much for her

n intens

oments generally are, it was b

dy Poole had been reclining in placid sleep. It was the strange v

shable murmur)-explained when I engage

ces. Then, all overstrung as they were, the absurdity of the occurrence

reat man felt that he was nearer to Marjorie than he had been before at any other moment of the afternoon. She

nd no longer vocalized the

turned back once m

rvants we have had to send away," she said. "W

led him to his

the actual achiev

electricity the vibrations are conveyed to almost any distance. When Madame Melba sings into the gramophone, her voice a

go on,

rations, they are conducted to a receiver more delicate and sensitive than anything which has ever been achieved by scientific process before

ther end?" Ma

lty of ten long, anxio

d n

ulty has been fi

refo

ndon can be sent in vibrati

as ever been invented before. For instance, I could sit here in this room and communicate with you with absolute freedom in Paris. How wonderful that is! What a triumphant

iscovered what you say, I should have discovered much. But I have gone far, far away f

sing between them like the shuttle of a loom; once more she was caught up into high realms

h thought can be turned into actual vision, into an actual expression of itself for every one to read. What I mean is this. I have discovered the process, and I have invented the machine by which, as a person thinks, the thought can be conveyed to any distance along the wire, can be received at the other end by

t does th

eal itself. Human personality is robbed of its only defence. There will be no need to try the criminal of the future. He must confess in spite of himself. The inviolability of though

lso. She did not love him, she knew well that she had never loved him, but she realized her influence over him. She knew that this supreme intellect was hers to do with as she would. She knew that if he was indeed, as he said, master of the world, she w

whole world. Here was a more conclusive proof than perhaps

sted from her by such a man as this, love was still hi

destroy. Her blood thrilled and pulsed with the knowledge, but it did not thrill or pulse for the man whose revelations had confirmed her in it. The man whom she had promi

e electric light, and the room was now brilliantly illuminated. In

o, old Lady Poole w

, I suppose, my dear children, that I have proved my abso

aid, "one of my inventions, Lady Poole. M

ead. The girl let him do so as if she were in a dream. Then Sir William pressed a button in the

said, "now, all I have told y

flowered beneath the grotes

are thinking is being definit

gnificance of his words di

e reali

turned out. Horror flashed out upon it, horror and fear. Her hands went up to her

r a moment and san

Rathbone, barrister-at-law, and w