The Ghost of Guir House

Later they descended to the ground and passed into the superb public

gardens of the city. Seating themselves beside one of the numerous

fountains sparkling with colored waters and perfumed with strange

aquatic plants, they watched the brilliant scene that surrounded

them. Aerial chariots flashed above, and men, women, and children

moved through the air entirely regardless of the law of gravitation.

Occasionally a passer-by would nod to Ah Ben, who returned the salute

familiarly, as if in recognition of an old friend; but no one stopped

to talk.

"And you know some of these people!" cried Paul in astonishment.

"Some of them." But a look of intense sadness had settled upon the

old man's face, quite different from anything Henley had seen. For a

moment neither spoke, and then Ah Ben, passing the back of his hand

across his forehead, said: "Yes, Mr. Henley, I know them, but I am

not of them; and as you see, they shun me."

"I can not understand why that should be," answered Paul, who was

conscious of a growing attachment for his guide.

"I can not explain; but some day, perhaps, you may know. Let us

continue our walk."

Looking up at the marvelous examples of architecture that surrounded

them, Paul observed that many of the houses had no windows, and

inquired the reason.

"Windows and doors are here only a matter of taste, and not of

necessity," answered the elder man; "the denizens of Levachan enter

their houses wherever they please without experiencing the slightest

obstruction. Likewise light and air are not here confined to special

material and apertures for their admission. We are only just

beginning to discover some of the possibilities of matter upon our

plane of existence. Here these things are understood; for matter and

spirit are one, their apparent difference lying in us."

"Yes," said Paul, "and I perceive that the inhabitants move from

place to place through the upper atmosphere in defiance of all law!"

"Law, Mr. Henley, is the operation of man's will. Where man through

uncounted eons of time has believed himself the slave of matter, it

becomes his master. I mean that the belief enslaves him, and not

until he has worked his way out of the false belief, will he become

free."

They continued their walk through gardens of bewitching beauty, and

amid lights so far transcending any previous experience of Henley's

that he no longer even tried to comprehend Ah Ben's labored

explanations. At last his guide, turning, abruptly said: "Come, let us return; the time is growing short!"