Algernon Blackwood

“ I can see the gold thread, all shining and alive, clean down in the man’s mind and heart, then out, then in again. It’s making him different⁠—I swear it is. By George, it’s like a blessed chemical experiment. I can’t explain it as I see it, but he’s getting sort of bright within⁠—golden like the thread.” Jones was wrought up, excited, moved. It was impossible to doubt his earnestness. He described a thing he really saw. O’Malley listened with envy and resentment. ”

“ By gad, it’s lovely, though⁠—it’s like a flower now, a floating blossom and now a strip of thin soft gold. It’s got him! By George, I tell you, it’s got him⁠—!”
“Got him?” echoed the Irishman, genuinely impressed. ”

“ The air is full of loose and wandering thoughts from other minds. I should see these thoughts hovering about your mind like flies trying to settle. Understand? The cause of a sudden change of mood in a man, an inspiration, a helping thought⁠—a temptation⁠—!”
“Bosh!”
“Are you afraid?”
“No. But it’s a poisonous doctrine⁠—that such experiments are worth while even if⁠—if⁠—”
But O’Malley knew his pal.⁠ ⁠... They took the prescribed dose together, laughing, scoffing, hoping. Then they went out to dine. “We must eat very little,” explained the Irishman. “The stomach must be comparatively empty. ”

“ And in the general confusion that came with the paying of bills, cleaning up the broken glass, and the rest, the “crook” slipped out into the crowd and was lost, the detective murmured something about “wonder what made him leave so good a trail!” and the Irishman filled in the pauses with hurried, nervous sentences⁠—“Keep your eye on the line of gold! We’ll follow it! We’ll trace it to its source. Never mind the tip I Hurry, hurry! Don’t lose it!”
But Jones was already out, drawn by the power of his obvious conviction. They went into the street. ”