The tassel is always a defect, sometimes overcome, but producing while it lasts great disturbance of the Current. By following the theory of the Current over the line, you can accurately estimate the extent of seriousness, the possible repair, and the outcome, though a tassel generally marks the end of the usefulness of a line.

The Dot (9) is a sign which is not frequently seen, but is worthy of note. It varies in size and depth, some being mere specks, and others large enough to put in the point of a pencil. Dots are always a defect, either of a line, when seen on one, or they may be found independent of the lines. On a line the dot forms an obstruction to the flow of the Current, and if it is a large one it produces destruction of the line by interposing so deep a cavity that the Current cannot pass. Very small dots are not serious, but often come after severe illness, generally of a febrile character. I have seen, dots on the Life line marking the spot when a severe attack of scarlet or typhoid fever had occurred, on the Head line under the Mount of Saturn in deaf and dumb subjects, under the Mount of Apollo in heart-disease subjects, on the line of Mercury showing when severe intestinal disturbances had occurred, and in other parts of the hand indicating the occurrence of difficulties peculiar to the parts of the hand on which they were seen. Dots may be red, blue, white, or yellow, and will indicate by their color the disturbances peculiar to the locality or line on which they appear.

They are subject to repair by a good square.

The Chained line (10) is formed by the joining together of a number of links, forming a line not clear, even, and deep, but one which has a continuous series of obstructions from the beginning. The effect of such a line is the weak operation of the qualities of the line. If it is the Head line, it makes a vacillating subject, lacking in self-control, and liable to headaches and other brain disturbances. If chains are seen in only part of a line, the weak, poor operation of the line will occur only during the period occupied by the chained condition, though the line following the chain is apt to be thin. The chains make it impossible for the Current to flow freely and evenly through the line, in which case the channel is full of shallows over which the stream makes its way with difficulty. It is a labored, strained, obstructed condition, consequently the chain is always a serious defect. It is one of the hardest lines to repair, for, unless the chain is very short, it takes a square larger and more regularly placed than is usual in order to enclose the chain. In almost all hands the chain is repaired by a sister line, or lines, and in no other way.

The chain is seen on nervous Life lines, and on sentimental and deficient Heart lines, sometimes on Head lines, but not often on the other Main or Minor lines or chance lines. Remember in reading it, that it is a shallow, obstructed channel, and form your estimate from this basis, applying the weak operation of the Current to that part of the line covered by the chained condition, and estimating how much it is repaired by any sister lines which may be present.

No. 9.

No. 10.

The Triangle (11) is often a single sign, though triangles are frequently found in the course of a line, in which case carefully note whether the triangle is formed by the splitting of the line, as in the case of an island, or whether it is a sign by itself and has formed over the line. Triangles are sometimes formed by crossing of the Main lines. In that case they do not have all of the power which belongs to them as single signs. When a well-marked triangle is not formed by Main or Minor lines, and when the lines at the angles do not overlap each other, but make well-cut points, it shows great mental brilliancy of the line, Mount, or finger on which it is seen. On the Mount of Jupiter it will tell of lofty ambitions and Jupiterian mental qualities; on the Mount of Moon, of brilliant imagination. It must always be used as showing brilliancy of mental attributes, and is never a health indication. If the triangle is formed by crossing chance lines it is not as powerful in its operation as when it is a single sign, still it adds greatly to the subject in whatever direction its location indicates.

On all of the Mounts a triangle applies only to the upper world of that Mount. It is not intended here to apply the single signs to the Mounts, fingers, lines, and individual phalanges, giving their meaning in each location, but to outline the general principles governing them, and in a subsequent chapter to apply them. Remember the strongest triangle is the single sign, that it is always a favorable indication, never applies to health, but adds brilliancy to the mental side of the location where it is found.

No. 11.

No. 12.

The Grille (12) is a formation where lines are found crossing each other in such a manner as to form a network or dam through which it is almost impossible for the Current to pass; as, for example, if an Electric Current were turned into a wire netting, when we know it would zigzag in every direction, be obstructed so it could not continue its passage, and would be forced to escape through the ends of each wire in the net. This would diffuse and dissipate the Current. It would also intensely electrify the point where the diffusion occurred. In the lines of the hand we must keep the Current free from obstruction, so when the grille is found in any hand, we feel at once that if a deep line shows that much Current is flowing in its direction, we have in the grille obstruction and overflow. Whenever seen, the grilling of lines is a serious defect and a menace. If it is very pronounced, and composed of deep red lines, the menace is great; if only a confusing and interlacing of several small thin lines, it is not as serious. On the Mounts the grille is a bad sign, bringing out the bad side of the Mount types, since by causing the exciting Electric Current to overflow into them it produces an abnormal condition. It also brings out prominently their health defects.