"Oh!" she said, with a sharp intaking of the breath as she saw the
writhing features knot and twist and blend. "Oh, don't! It is uncanny!
It is amazing. It is awful!" And, after a moment, when the light had
been shut off and the man beside her was only a shape in the mist: "I
hope I may never see you do it again," she merely more than whispered.
"It is the most appalling thing. I can't think how you do it--how you
came by the power to do such a thing."

"Perhaps by inheritance," said Cleek, as they walked on again. "Once
upon a time, Miss Lorne, there was a--er--lady of extremely high
position who, at a time when she should have been giving her thoughts
to--well, more serious things, used to play with one of those curious
little rubber faces which you can pinch up into all sorts of distorted
countenances--you have seen the things, no doubt. She would sit for
hours screaming with laughter over the droll shapes into which she
squeezed the thing. Afterward, when her little son was born, he
inherited the trick of that rubber face as a birthright. It may have
been the same case with me. Let us say it was, and drop the subject,
since you have not found the sight a pleasing one. Now tell me
something, please, that I want to know about you."




CHAPTER II


"About me, Mr. Cleek?"

"Yes. You spoke about there being a change in your circumstances--spoke