The two Miss Hunters, Mrs. Rintoul, and several of the others said they had seen enough, but among the men there was expressed a general wish to see another feat.
“I would not have missed this for anything,” the Doctor said. “It would be simple madness to throw away such a chance.”
The ladies, therefore, with the exception of Mrs. Hunter, Mrs. Doolan, and Isobel, retired into the house.
“You must all go on one side now,” the juggler said, “for it is only on one side what I am now going to do can be seen.”
He then proceeded to light a fire of charcoal. When he had done this, he said, “The lights must now be extinguished and the curtains drawn, so that the light will not stream out from the house.”
As soon as this was done he poured a powder over the fire, and by its faint light the cloud of white smoke could be seen.
“Now I will show you the past,” he said. “Who speaks?”
There was silence, and then Dr. Wade said, “Show me my past.”
A faint light stole up over the smoke—it grew brighter and brighter; and then a picture was clearly seen upon it.
It was the sea, a house standing by itself in a garden, and separated from the water only by a road. Presently the figure of a girl appeared at the gate, and, stepping out, looked down the road as if waiting for someone. They could make out all the details of her dress and see her features distinctly. A low exclamation broke from the Doctor, then the picture gradually faded away.