M'HK BATTALION
3
I can not imagine, for he would be horrified, I am sure, at the
thought of indulging himself in any caper of the kind any
where out of his office. Where on earth did you ever hear
him make a pun?”
“Oh!” said I, “I have never heard him. But there was
something about his face today that made a friend of mine
fancy that he was thinking puns. It struck me as an odd
idea, and I made up my mind to ask you about it. Of course
I shall not mention to anyone what you have said.”
From this time on I was resolved to put Olsen’s claim to
further trials. He had not convinced me wholly, but had
piqued my curiosity. I put his powers to the test again and
again, and each time his success was unvarying—manifest
even to me, in spite of my reasoned skepticism. He was
steadily triumphing over my mistrust. The thoughts of
many men of widely differing types were to all appearance
as open to him as if they had spoken them out. In every
instance, I thought I noted that it was the more or less un
conscious undercurrent of their souls that Olsen fastened his
gaze upon.
But could he read as clearly the thoughts of women,
those wonderful dissemblers? I determined to try this.
I took him, then, with me to see a lady whom I had
known well in a far distant state. I knew that he had never
met Miss Patricia Simons—perhaps had not even heard of
her arrival in Hammersville until I invited him to accompa
ny me on my visit. She gave me a cordial welcome, and for