March 26. Wilson was, as I had anticipated, very exultant over my conversion, and MissPenclosa was also demurely pleased at the result of her experiment. Strange what a silent, colorless creature she is save only when she exercises her power! Even talking about itgives her color and life. She seems to take a singular interest in me. I cannot help observinghow her eyes follow me about the room.We had the most interesting conversation about her own powers. It is just as well to puther views on record, though they cannot, of course, claim any scientific weight."You are on the very fringe of the subject," said she, when I had expressed wonder atthe remarkable instance of suggestion which she had shown me. "I had no direct influenceupon Miss Marden when she came round to you. I was not even thinking of her thatmorning. What I did was to set her mind as I might set the alarum of a clock so that at thehour named it would go off of its own accord. If six months instead of twelve hours hadbeen suggested, it would have been the same.""And if the suggestion had been to assassinate me?""She would most inevitably have done so.""But this is a terrible power!" I cried."It is, as you say, a terrible power," she answered gravely, "and the more you know of itthe more terrible will it seem to you.""May I ask," said I, "what you meant when you said that this matter of suggestion is onlyat the fringe of it? What do you consider the essential?""I had rather not tell you."I was surprised at the decision of her answer."You understand," said I, "that it is not out of curiosity I ask, but in the hope that I mayfind some scientific explanation for the facts with which you furnish me.""Frankly, Professor Gilroy," said she, "I am not at all interested in science, nor do I carewhether it can or cannot classify these powers.