| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: water surged, gurgling, between the logs.
Jim's mare snorted with terror, and rearing high, pulled her halter loose and
plunged into the river. But Jim still held her, at risk of being drawn
overboard.
"Let go! She'll drag you in!" yelled Joe, grasping him with his free hand.
Lance trembled violently and strained at the rope, which his master held with
a strong grip.
CRACK!
The stinging report of a rifle rang out above the splashing of the water.
Without a cry, Bill's grasp on the oar loosened; he fell over it limply, his
head striking the almost submerged log. A dark-red fluid colored the water;
The Spirit of the Border |
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from A Book of Remarkable Criminals by H. B. Irving: Ballet passed away.
A post-mortem was held on his body. It was made by Drs. Segalas
and Castaing. They stated that death was due to pleurisy
aggravated by the consumptive condition of the deceased, which,
however serious, was not of itself likely to have been so rapidly
fatal in its consequences.
Hippolyte had died, leaving a fortune of some 240,000 francs. In
the previous September he had spoken to the notary Lebret, a
former clerk of his father's, of his intention of making a will.
He had seen that his brother Auguste was squandering his share of
their inheritance; he told Lebret that whatever he might leave to
A Book of Remarkable Criminals |
