the psychic action took place at a long distance from the physical body.

From these personal experiences, as well as from many well authenticated
cases recorded by other writers, I should be inclined to infer that the
psychic action is entirely independent of the physical body, and in
support of this view I will cite yet another experience.

It was about the year 1875, when I was a young Assistant Commissioner in
the Punjab, that I was ordered to the small up-country station of
Akalpur,[1] and took possession of the Assistant Commissioner's
bungalow there. On the night of our arrival in the bungalow, my wife and
I had our charpoys--light Indian bedsteads--placed side by side in a
certain room and went to bed. The last thing I remembered before falling
asleep, was seeing my wife sitting up in bed, reading with a lamp on a
small table beside her. Suddenly I was awakened by the sound of a shot,
and starting up, found the room in darkness. I immediately lit a candle
which was on a chair by my bedside, and found my wife still sitting up
with the book on her knee, but the lamp had gone out.

"Take me away, take me into another room," she exclaimed.

"Why, what is the matter?" I said.

"Did you not see it?" she replied.

"See what?" I asked.

"Don't stop to ask any questions," she replied; "get me out of this room
at once; I can't stop here another minute."