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eyes were filled with concern。
〃You； Mannie！〃 she demanded anxiously。 〃What had you done？〃
〃Done！〃 exclaimed Mannie indignantly； 〃nothing！ What'd you think
I'd done？ Did you think I was a crook？〃
Vera bowed her shoulders and shivered as though the boy had
cursed at her。 She shook her head vehemently and again swung
back to the piano。 Stumbling awkwardly； her fingers ran over the
keys in a swift clatter of broken chords。 〃No；〃 she whispered；
〃no； Mannie； no。〃
With a laugh of delighted recollection； Mannie turned to Mabel。
〃He raided a poolroom I was working at；〃 he explained。 〃He
picked me out as a sheet writer because I had my coat off； see？
I told him I had it off because it was too hot for me； and he
says； Young man； if you lie to me； I'll make I a damn sight
hotter！〃 Mannie threw back his head and shouted uproariously。
〃He's all right； Winthrop！〃 he declared。
Mabel； having already married Winthrop to Vera in Grace Church；
with herself in the front pew； in a blue silk dress； received
this unexpected evidence of his rare wit with delight。 In
ecstasy of appreciation she slapped her knees。
〃Did he say that； Mannie？〃 she cried。 〃Wasn't that quick of him！
Did you hear what he said to Mannie； Vera？〃 she demanded。
Their mirth was interrupted by the opening and closing of the
front door and； in the hall； the murmur of men's voices。
Vance opened the door from the hall and entered； followed by
Judge Gaylor and Rainey。 With evident pride in her appearance；
Vance introduced the two men to his wife； and then sent her and
Mannie from the room the latter with orders to dismiss the
visitors in the front parlor and to admit no others。
At the door Mrs。 Vance turned to Vera and nodded mysteriously。
〃If that party calls；〃 she said with significance； 〃I'll put him
in the front parlor。〃 With a look of dismay； Vera vehemently
shook her head but； to forestall any opposition； Mrs。 Vance
hastily slammed the door behind her。
In his most courteous manner Judge Gaylor offered the chair at
the head of the centre table to Vera； and at the same table
seated himself。 Vance took a place on the piano stool； Rainey
stood with his back to the mantel piece。
〃Miss Vera；〃 Gaylor began impressively； 〃I desire to apologize
for my language this morning。 As Rainey no doubt has told you； I
have opposed you and Professor Vance。 But I I know when I'm
beaten。 Your influence with Mr。 Hallowell today is greater
than mine。 It is paramount。 I congratulate you。〃 He smiled
ingratiatingly。 〃And now；〃 he added； 〃we are all working in
unison。〃
〃You've given up your idea of sending me to jail；〃 said Vera。
〃Vera！〃 exclaimed Vance reprovingly。 Judge Gaylor has
apologized。 We're all in harmony now。〃
〃Is that door locked？〃 asked Gaylor。 Vance told him； save Mrs。
Vance； Mannie； and themselves； there was none in the house； and
that he might speak freely。
〃Miss Vera；〃 began the Judge； 〃we left Mr。 Hallowell very much
impressed with the message you gave him this morning。 The
message from his dead sister。 He wants another message from her。
He wants her to decide how he shall dispose of a very large sum
of money his entire fortune。〃
〃His entire fortune！〃 exclaimed Vera。 〃Do you imagine；〃 she
asked； 〃that Mr。 Hallowell will take advice from the spirit
world about that？ I don't！〃
〃I do；〃 Gaylor answered stoutly； 〃I know I would。〃
〃You？〃 asked Vera incredulously。
〃If I could believe my sister came from the dead to tell me what
to do；〃 said the lawyer； 〃of course； I'd do it。 I'd be afraid
not to。 But I don't believe he does。 And he believes you can
bring his sister herself before him。 He insists that tonight you
hold a seance in his house； and that you materialize the spirit
of his dead sister。 So that he can see his sister； and talk with
his sister。 Vance says you can do that。 Can you？〃
From Vera's face the look of girlishness； of happy anticipation；
had already disappeared。
〃It is my business to do that；〃 the girl answered。 She turned to
Vance and； in a matter…of…fact voice； inquired； 〃What does his
sister look like that photograph we used this morning。？〃
〃No；〃 Vance answered。 〃I've a better one； Rainey gave me。 Taken
when she was older。 Has white hair and a cap and a kerchief
crossed so。〃 He drew his hands across his shoulders。 〃Rainey；
show Miss Vera that picture。〃
〃Not now；〃 Gaylor commanded。 〃The important thing now is that
Miss Vera understands the message Mr。 Hallowell is to receive
from his sister。〃
The two other men nodded quickly in assent。 Gaylor turned to
Vera。 He spoke slowly； earnestly。
〃Miss Vera；〃 he said； 〃Mr。 Hallowell's present will leaves his
fortune to his niece。 He has made another will； which he has not
signed； leaving his fortune to the Hallowell Institute。 He will
ask his sister to which of these he should leave his money。 You
will tell him 〃 he corrected himself instantly。 〃She will tell
him to give it where it will be of the greatest good to the most
people to the Institute。〃 There was a pause。 〃Do you
understand？〃 he asked。
〃To the Institute。 Not to the niece；〃 Vera answered。 Gaylor
nodded gravely。
〃What；〃 asked Vera； 〃are the fewest words in which that message
could be delivered？ I mean should she say； You are to endow
the Hallowell Institute； or Brother； you are to give Sign
the new will？〃 With satisfaction the girl gave a sharp shake of
her head； and nodded to Vance。 〃 Destroy the old will。 Sign the
new will。 That is the best；〃 she said。
〃That's it exactly；〃 Gaylor exclaimed eagerly； 〃that's
excellent！〃 Then his face clouded。 〃I think；〃 he said in a
troubled voice； 〃we should warn Miss Vera； that to guard himself
from any trickery； Mr。 Hallowell insists on subjecting her to
the most severe tests。 He 〃
〃That will be all right；〃 said the girl。 She turned to Vance
and； in a lower tone but without interest； asked： 〃What； for
instance？〃 Vance merely laughed and shrugged his shoulders。 The
girl smiled。 Nettled； and alarmed at what appeared to be their
overconfidence； Gaylor objected warmly。
〃That's all very well；〃 he cried； 〃but for instance； he insists
that the entire time you are in the cabinet； you hold a handful
of flour in one hand and of shot in the other〃 he illustrated
with clenched fists 〃which makes it impossible；〃 he
protested； 〃for you to use your hands。〃
The face of the girl showed complete indifference。
〃Not necessarily；〃 she said。
〃But you are to be tied hand and foot；〃 cried the Judge。 〃And on
top of that；〃 he burst forth indignantly； pointing aggrievedly
at Vance； 〃he himself proposed this flour…and…shot test。 It was
silly； senseless bravado！〃
〃Not necessarily；〃 repeated the girl。 〃He knew that I invented
it。〃 Rainey laughed。 Gaylor gave an exclamation of
enlightenment。
〃If it will be of any comfort to you； Judge；〃 said Vance； 〃I'll
tell you one thing； every test that ever was put to a medium
was invented by a medium。〃
Vera rose。 〃If there is nothing more；〃 she said； 〃I will go and
get the things ready for this evening。 Destroy the old will。
Sign the new will。〃 she repeated。 She turned suddenly to Vance；
her brow drawn in consideration。 〃I sup