Eunice, too, greeted Mr. Hanlon cordially, and Hendricks held out
a welcoming hand.

"Tell us how you did it," he said, smiling into the intelligent
face of the mysterious "mind-reader."

"You saw," he returned, simply, with a slight gesture of
out-turned palms, as if to disavow any secrets.

"Yes, I saw," said Hendricks, "but with me, seeing is not
believing."

"Don't listen, Hanlon," Mr. Mortimer said, smiling a little
resentfully. "That sort of talk would go before the test, but
not now. What do you mean, Hendricks, by not believing? Do you
suspect me of complicity?"

"I do not, Mortimer. I believe you have been taken in with the
rest, by a very clever trick." He looked sharply at Hanlon, who
returned his gaze serenely. "I believe this young man is
unusually apt as a trickster, and I believe he hoodwinked the
whole community. The fact that I cannot comprehend, or even
guess how he did it, in no way disturbs my conviction that he did
do it by trickery. I will change this opinion, however, if Mr.
Hanlon will look me in the eye and assure me, on his honor, that
he found the penknife by no other means or with no other
influence to guide him than Mr. Mortimer's will-power."

"I am not on trial," he said. "I am not called upon to prove or
disprove anything. I promised to perform a feat and I have done