The spark in the hanging lamp had almost expired, and the fire was
reduced to a mere handful of coals, casting an erubescent glow over
the pew and its occupants. Ah Ben stretched his hand toward the
chimney, and as he did so, a ball of misty light appeared against it,
just below the mantel. It was ill defined and hazy, like the
reflection a firefly will sometimes make against the ceiling of a
darkened room; but it was fixed, and Paul was sure it had not been
there a moment before.
"Do you see that?" asked the old man, breaking the silence.
"Yes," answered Paul; "and I was just wondering what it could be."
"Watch! and you will see."
They sat with their eyes fixed; but while Paul was staring into the
mantel, Ah Ben was looking at him.
"Observe how it grows," and even as he spoke the strange illumination
deepened, until it assumed the distinct and definite form of a lamp.
Then the mantelpiece dissolved into nothingness, and Paul was staring
through the chimney into a strange room, whose form and contents were
dimly revealed by the curious lamp which occupied a table in the
centre. Two persons sat at this table, the one a woman, the other a
boy, and near at hand was an English army officer. The woman was
small, with dark eyes and hair, and a skin the color of tan bark. Her
head was bowed forward and rested upon her arms, which were crossed
upon the table. The man was looking down at her with a troubled
expression, and in a minute he stooped forward and kissed the top of
her head; he then turned suddenly and left the room. The scene was
distinct, although the outer part of the room was in shadow.
Presently the woman threw herself to the floor with a heart-rending
shriek, and Paul started up, exclaiming: "What has happened? She will wake everybody in the house!"
He bounded to his feet; but as he did so, the lamp in the strange
room went out, and the chimney closed over the scene, leaving him
with his old surroundings. Looking up at Ah Ben, he said: "I must have fallen asleep. I've been dreaming."
"Not at all," answered Ah Ben. "You've been quite as wide awake as I
have, and we've been looking at the same thing."
Paul demanded the proof, which the old man gave by telling him what
he had seen in every detail.
"Then it's magic!" said Henley, "for surely no room can be visible
through that chimney."