| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Pocket Diary Found in the Snow by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: the nearest lantern Muller saw that the monogram on the handkerchief
was the same in style and initials as that on the notebook. It was
the letters A. L.
CHAPTER II
THE STORY OF THE NOTEBOOK
It was warm and comfortable in the little room where Muller sat.
He closed the windows, lit the gas, took off his overcoat - Muller
was a pedantically careful person - smoothed his hair and sat down
comfortably at the table. Just as he took up the little book, the
attendant brought the tea, which he proceeded at once to enjoy. He
did not take up his little book again until he had lit himself a
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Man of Business by Honore de Balzac: " 'If you can steal the amount of your bill, which is legally due I
own, I shall be indebted to you, sir,' replied Maxime. 'You will have
taught me a new precaution to take. I am very much your servant.'
" 'Monsieur le Comte,' said Cerizet, 'it is I, on the contrary, who am
yours.'
"Here was an explicit, forcible, confident declaration on either side.
A couple of tigers confabulating, with the prey before them, and a
fight impending, would have been no finer and no shrewder than this
pair; the insolent fine gentleman as great a blackguard as the other
in his soiled and mud-stained clothes.
"Which will you lay your money on?" asked Desroches, looking round at
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