Part 6 (1/2)

Indeed, so anxious were the onlookers that fair play should obtain, the ones nearest to the performer served as a cordon of guards to keep his immediate surroundings cleared.

Hanlon's actions, in all respects, were those that might be expected from a blindfolded man. He groped, sometimes with outstretched hands, again with arms folded or hands clasped and extended, but always with an expression, so far as his face could be seen, of earnest, concentrated endeavor to go the right way. Now and then he would half turn, as if impelled in one direction, and then hesitate, turn and march off the other way. One time, indeed, he went nearly half a block in a wrong street. Then he paused, groped, stumbled a little, and gradually returned to the vicinity of Mortimer, who had stood still at the corner. Apparently, Hanlon had no idea of his detour, for he went on in the right direction, and Mortimer, who was oblivious to all but his mission, followed interestedly.

One time Hanlon spoke to him. ”You are a fine 'guide,' sir,” he said.

”I seem impelled steadily, not in sudden thought waves, and I find my mind responds well to your will. If you will be so good as to keep the crowd away from us a little more carefully. I don't want you any nearer me, but if too many people are between us, it interferes somewhat with the transference of your guiding thought.”

”Do you want to hear my footsteps?” asked Mortimer, thoughtfully.

”That doesn't matter,” Hanlon smiled. ”You are to follow me, sir, even if I go wrong. If I waited to hear you, that would be no test at all.

Simply will me, and then follow, whether I am on the right track or not. But keep your mind on the goal, and look toward it--if convenient. Of course, the looking toward it is no help to me, save as it serves to fix your mind more firmly on the matter.”

And then Hanlon seemed to go more carefully. He stepped slowly, feeling with his foot for any curbstone, grating or irregularity in the pavement. And yet he failed in one instance to feel the edge of an open coalhole, and his right leg slipped down into it.

Some of the nearby watchers grabbed him, and pulled him back without his sustaining injury, for which he thanked them briefly and continued.

Several times some sceptical bystanders put themselves deliberately in front of the blindfolded man, to see if he would turn out for them.

On the contrary, Hanlon b.u.mped into them, so innocently, that they were nearly thrown down.

He smiled good-naturedly, and said, ”All right, fellows; I don't mind, if you don't. And I don't blame you for wanting to make sure that I'm not playing 'possum!”

Of course, Hanlon carried no light cane, such as blind men use, to tap on the stones, so he helped himself by feeling the way along shop windows and area gates, judging thus, when he was nearing a cross street, and sometimes hesitating whether to cross or turn the corner.

After a half-hour of this sort of progress he found himself in a vacant lot near the edge of the city. There had been a building in the middle of the plot of ground, but it had been burned down and only a pile of blackened debris marked the place.

Reaching the corner of the streets that bounded the lot, Hanlon made no pause, but started on a straight diagonal toward the center of the lot.

He stepped into a tangle of charred logs and ashes, but forged ahead unhesitatingly, though slowly, and picked his way by thrusting the toe of his shoe tentatively forward.

Mortimer, about three paces behind him, followed, unheeding the rubbish he stalked through, and very evidently absorbed in doing his part to its conclusion.

For the knife was hidden in the very center of the burned-down house.

A bit of flooring was left, on which Hanlon climbed, Mortimer getting up on it also.

Hanlon walked slowly round in a circle, the floor being several yards square. Mortimer stepped behind him, gravely looking toward the hiding-place, and exerting all his mentality toward ”guiding” Hanlon to it. At no time was he nearer than two feet, though once, making a quick turn, Hanlon nearly b.u.mped into him. Finally, Hanlon, poking about in the ashes with his right foot, kicked against something. He picked it up and it proved to be only a bit of wire. But the next moment he struck something else, and, stooping, brought up triumphantly the hidden penknife, which he waved exultantly at the crowd.

Loud and long they cheered him. Cordially Mr. Mortimer grasped the hands of the hero, and it was with some difficulty that Alvord Hendricks restrained Miss Abby Ames from getting out of his car and rus.h.i.+ng to congratulate the successful treasure-seeker.

”Now,” she exclaimed; ”no one can ever doubt the fact of telepathy after this! How else could that young man have done what he has done.

Answer me that!”

”It's all a fake,” a.s.serted Hendricks, ”but I'm ready to acknowledge I don't know how it's done. It's the best game I ever saw put up, and I'd like to know how he does it.”

”Seems to me,” put in Eunice, a little dryly, ”one oughtn't to insist that it is a fake unless one has some notion, at least, of how it could be done. If the man could see--could even peep--there might be a chance for trickery. But with those thick cotton pads on his eyes and then covered with that big, thick, folded silk handkerchief--it's really a m.u.f.fle-there's no chance for his faking.”

”And if he could see--if his eyes were wide open--how would he know where to go?” demanded Aunt Abby. ”That blindfolding is only so he can't see Mr. Mortimer's face, if he turns round, and judge from its expression. And also, I daresay, to help him concentrate his mind, and not be diverted or distracted by the crowd and all.”

”All the same, I don't believe in it,” and Hendricks shook his head obstinately. ”There is no such thing as telepathy, and this 'willing'

business has all been exposed years ago.”