| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Out of Time's Abyss by Edgar Rice Burroughs: feet square gave forth a hollow sound when he rapped upon it.
Bradley felt over every square inch of that area with the tips of
his fingers. Near the top he found a small round hole a trifle
larger in diameter than his forefinger, which he immediately
stuck into it. The panel, if such it was, seemed about an
inch thick, and beyond it his finger encountered nothing.
Bradley crooked his finger upon the opposite side of the panel
and pulled toward him, steadily but with considerable force.
Suddenly the panel flew inward, nearly precipitating the man to
the floor. It was hinged at the bottom, and when lowered the
outer edge rested upon the perch, making a little platform
 Out of Time's Abyss |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Red Seal by Natalie Sumner Lincoln: Helen hurried through the door and paused in the corridor to whisper
feverishly in Kent's ear, "Promise me you will remain faithful to
Barbara whatever develops."
"I will!" Kent's pledge rang out clearly, and Helen with a lighter
heart turned to walk away when a telegraph boy appeared around the
corner of the corridor and thrust a yellow envelope at Kent, who
stood half inside his office watching Helen.
"Sign here," the boy said, indicating the line on the receipt slip,
and getting it back, departed.
Motioning to Helen to wait, Kent tore open the telegram. It was
from Cleveland and dated the night before. The message ran:
 The Red Seal |