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wake him； even to oblige you。 In a word； gentlemen； Stephen
Hallowell has never been in better health； mentally and bodily。
You can say that from me and that's all there is to say。〃
〃Then； we can say；〃 persisted Irving； 〃that you say； that
Walsh's story is a fake？〃
〃You can say it is not true；〃 corrected Gaylor。 〃That's all；
gentlemen。〃 The audience was at an end。 The young men moved
toward the hall and Judge Gaylor turned to the bedroom。 As he
did so； he found that the new man on the Republic still held his
ground。
〃Could I have a word with you； sir？〃 the stranger asked。 The
reporters halted jealously。 Again Gaylor showed his impatience。
〃About Mr。 Hallowell's health？〃 he demanded。 〃There's nothing
more to say。〃
〃No； it's not about his health；〃 ventured the reporter。
〃Well； not now。 I am very late this morning。〃 The Judge again
moved to the bedroom and the reporter； as though accepting the
verdict； started to follow the others。 As he did so； as though
in explanation or as a warning he added： 〃You said to always
come to you for the facts。〃 The lawyer halted； hesitated。 〃What
facts do you want？〃 he asked。 The reporter bowed； and waved his
broad felt hat toward the listening men。 In polite embarrassment
he explained what he had to say could not be spoken in their
presence。
Something in the manner of the stranger led Judge Gaylor to
pause。 He directed Garrett to accompany the reporters from the
room。 Then； with mock politeness； he turned to the one who
remained。 〃I take it； you are a new comer in New York
journalism。 What is your name？〃 he asked。
〃My name is Homer Lee；〃 said the Southerner。 〃I am a New Orleans
boy。 I've been only a month in your city。 Judge；〃 he began
earnestly； but in a voice which still held the drawl of the
South； 〃I met a man from home last week on Broadway。 He belonged
to that spiritualistic school on Carondelet Street。 He knows all
that's going on in the spook world； and he tells me the ghost
raisers have got their hooks into the old man pretty deep。 Is
that so？〃
The bewilderment of Judge Gaylor was complete and； without
question； genuine。
〃I don't know what you mean；〃 he said。
〃My informant tells me；〃 continued the reporter； 〃that Mr。
Hallowell has embraced if that's what you call it
spiritualism。〃
Gaylor started forward。
〃What！〃 he roared。
Unmoved； the other regarded the Judge keenly。
〃Spiritualism；〃 he repeated； 〃and that a bunch of these mediums
have got him so hypnotized he can't call his soul his own； or
his money； either。 Is that true？〃
Judge Gaylor's outburst was overwhelming。 That it was genuine
Mr。 Lee； observing him closely； was convinced。
〃Of all the outrageous； ridiculous〃 the judge halted； gasping
for words 〃and libelous statements！〃 he went on。 〃If you
print that；〃 he thundered； 〃Mr。 Hallowell will sue your paper
for half a million dollars。 Can't you see the damage you would
do？ Can't your people see that if the idea got about that he was
unable to direct his own affairs； that he was in the hands of
mediums； it would invalidate everything he does？ After his
death； every act of his at this time； every paper he had signed；
would be suspected； and and〃 stammered the Judge as his
imagination pictured what might follow 〃they might even
attack his will！〃 He advanced truculently。 〃Do you mean to
publish this libel？〃
Lee moved his shoulders in deprecation。 〃I'm afraid we must；〃 he
said。
〃You must！〃 demanded Gaylor。 〃After what I've told you？ Do you
think I'm lying to you？〃
〃No；〃 said the reporter； 〃I don't think you are。 Looks more like
you didn't know。〃
〃Not know？ I？〃 Gaylor laughed hysterically。 〃I am his lawyer。 I
am his best friend！ Who will you believe？〃 He stepped to the
table and pressed an electric button； and Garrett appeared in
the hall。 〃Tell Dr。 Rainey I want to see him；〃 Gaylor commanded；
〃and return with him。〃
As they waited； Judge Gaylor paced quickly to and fro。 〃I've had
to deny some pretty silly stories about Mr。 Hallowell；〃 he said；
〃but of all the absurd； malicious … … There's some enemy back of
this； some one in Wall Street is doing this。 But I'll find him
I'll 〃 he was interrupted by the entrance of the butler
and Dr。 Rainey； Mr。 Hallowell's personal physician。
Rainey was a young man with a weak face； and knowing； shifting
eyes that blinked behind a pair of eyeglasses。 To conceal an
indecision of character of which he was quite conscious； he
assumed a manner that； according to whom he addressed； was
familiar or condescending。 At one of the big hospitals he had
been an ambulance surgeon and resident physician； later he had
started upon a somewhat doubtful career as a medical 〃expert。〃
Only two years had passed since the police and the reporters of
the Tenderloin had ceased calling him 〃Doc。〃 In a celebrated
criminal case in which Gaylor had acted as chief counsel； he had
found Rainey complaisant and apparently totally without the
moral sense。 And when in Garrett he had discovered for Mr。
Hallowell a model servant； he had also urged upon his friend；
for his resident physician； his protege Rainey。
Still at white heat； the older man began abruptly： 〃This
gentleman is from the Republic。 He is going to publish a story
that Mr。 Hallowell has fallen under the influence of mediums；
clairvoyants； that everything he does is on advice from the
spirit world 〃 he turned sharply upon Lee。 〃Is that right？〃
The reporter nodded。
〃You can see the effect of such a story。 It would invalidate
every act of Mr。 Hallowell's！〃
Dr。 Rainey laughed offensively。
〃It might；〃 he said； 〃but who'd believe it？〃
〃He believes it！〃 cried Gaylor； 〃or he pretends to believe it。
Tell him！〃 he commanded。 〃He won't believe me。 Does Mr。
Hallowell associate with mediums； and spirits and spooks？〃
Again the young doctor laughed。
〃Of course not！〃 he exclaimed。 〃It's not worth answering； Judge。
You ought to treat it with silent contempt。〃 From behind his
glasses he winked at the reporter with a jocular； intimate
smile。 He was adapting himself to what he imagined was his
company。 〃Where did you pick up that pipe dream？〃 he asked。
Without answering； the Southerner regarded him steadily with
inquiring； interested eyes。 The doctor coughed nervously and
turned to Judge Gaylor。 In the manner of a cross…examination
Gaylor called up his next witness。
〃Garrett； does any one visit Mr。 Hallowell without your
knowledge？〃 he asked。 You may not open the door for him； but you
know every one who gets in to see Mr。 Hallowell； do you not？〃
〃Every one； sir。〃
〃Do you admit any mediums； palm…readers； or people of that
sort？〃
〃Certainly not；〃 returned the butler。
〃Dr。 Rainey；〃 he added； 〃would not permit it； sir。〃
Gaylor stamped his foot with impatience。
〃Do you admit any one；〃 he demanded； 〃without Dr。 Rainey's
permission？〃
〃No； sir！〃 The reply could not have rung with greater emphasis。
Triumphantly； Gaylor； with a wave of the hand； as though saying；
〃Take the witness；〃 turned to Lee。 〃There you are；〃 he cried。
〃Now； are you satisfied？〃
The reporter moved slowly toward the door。 〃I am satisfied；〃 he
said； 〃that the man doesn't a