Louisa's temper."

"I'll answer for Louisa," said Lord Pabham.

By the following day the house-party had swollen to larger proportions,
and Bilsiter's instinct for self-advertisement expanded duly under the
stimulant of an increased audience. At dinner that evening he held forth
at length on the subject of unseen forces and untested powers, and his
flow of impressive eloquence continued unabated while coffee was being
served in the drawing-room preparatory to a general migration to the card-
room.

His aunt ensured a respectful hearing for his utterances, but her
sensation-loving soul hankered after something more dramatic than mere
vocal demonstration.

"Won't you do something to _convince_ them of your powers, Leonard?" she
pleaded; "change something into another shape. He can, you know, if he
only chooses to," she informed the company.

"Oh, do," said Mavis Pellington earnestly, and her request was echoed by
nearly everyone present. Even those who were not open to conviction were
perfectly willing to be entertained by an exhibition of amateur
conjuring.

Leonard felt that something tangible was expected of him.

"Has anyone present," he asked, "got a three-penny bit or some small
object of no particular value--?"