按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
eyes of the girl faltered； and then she returned his glance with
one as resolute as his own。 As though accepting her verdict as
final； Winthrop walked quickly to the door。 〃I shall be
downstairs；〃 he said； 〃when this is over； let me know。〃
Gaylor struggled to conceal his surprise and satisfaction。 〃You
won't be here for the seance？〃 he exclaimed。
〃Certainly not；〃 cried Winthrop。 〃I 〃 He broke off suddenly。
Without again looking toward Vera； or trying to hide his
displeasure； he left the room。
Gaylor turned to the girl。 He was smiling with relief。
〃Excellent！〃 he muttered。 〃Excellent！ What was he saying to
you；：〃 he asked eagerly； 〃as I came in that you would fail？〃
The girl moved past him to the door。 〃Yes；〃 she answered dully。
〃But you will not！〃 cried the man。 〃We're all counting on you；
you know。 Destroy the old will。 Sign the new will；〃 he quoted。
He came close to her and whispered。 〃That means thousands of
dollars to you and Vance；〃 he urged。
The girl turned and regarded him with unhappy； angry eyes。
〃You need not be frightened；：〃 she answered。 For the man before
her and for herself； her voice was bitter with contempt and
self… accusation。 〃Mr。 Winthrop is mistaken。 He does not know
me；〃 she said miserably。 〃I shall not fail。〃
For a moment； after she had left him； Gaylor stood motionless；
his eyes filled with concern； and then； with a shrug； as though
accepting either good or evil fortune； he called from the
bedroom Mr。 Hallowell； and； from the floor below； the guests of
Hallowell and of Vance。
As Hallowell； supported by Rainey； sank into the invalid's chair
in the centre of the semicircle； Gaylor made his final appeal。
〃Stephen；〃 he begged； 〃are you sure you're feeling strong
enough？ Won't some other night 〃 The old man interrupted him
querulously。
〃No； now！〃 I want it over；〃 he commanded。 〃Who knows；〃 he
complained； 〃how soon it may be before 〃
The sight of Mannie entering the room with Vance caused him to
interrupt himself abruptly。 He greeted the showman with a curt
nod。
〃And who is this？〃 he demanded。 Mannie； to whom a living
millionaire was much more of a disturbing spectacle than the
ghost of Alexander the Great； retreated hastily behind Vance。
〃He is my assistant；〃 Vance explained。 〃He furnishes the music。〃
He pushed Mannie toward the organ。
〃Music！〃 growled Hallowell。 〃Must there be music？〃
〃It is indispensable；〃 protested Vance。 〃Music； sir； is one of
the strongest psychic influences。 It〃
〃Nonsense！〃 cried Hallowell。
〃Tricks；〃 he muttered； 〃tricks！〃
Vance shrugged his shoulders； and smiled in deprecation。 〃I am
sorry to find you in a skeptical mood； Mr。 Hallowell；〃 he
murmured reprovingly 〃It will hardly help to produce good
results。 Allow me；〃 he begged； 〃to present two true believers。〃
With a wave of the hand he beckoned forward a stout； gray…haired
woman with bulging； near… sighted eyes that rolled meaninglessly
behind heavy gold spectacles。
〃Mrs。 Marsh of Lynn； Massachusetts；〃 proclaimed Vance； 〃of whom
you have heard。 Mrs。 Marsh；〃 he added； 〃is probably the first
medium in America。 The results she has obtained are quite
wonderful。 She alone foretold the San Francisco earthquake； and
the run on the Long Acre Square Bank。〃
〃I am glad to know you；〃 said Mr。 Hallowell。 〃Pardon my not
rising。〃
The old lady curtsied obsequiously。
〃Oh； certainly； Mr。 Hallowell；〃 she protested。 〃Mr。 Hallowell；〃
she went on； rolling the name delightedly on her tongue； 〃I need
not tell you how greatly we spiritualists rejoice over your
joining the ranks of the believers。〃
Hallowell nodded。 He was not altogether unimpressed。 〃Thanks；〃
he commented dryly。 〃But I am not quite there yet； madam。〃
〃We hope；〃 said Vance sententiously； 〃to convince Mr。 Hallowell
tonight。〃
〃And I am sure； Mr。 Hallowell；〃 cried the old lady； 〃if any one
can do it； little Miss Vera can。 Hers is a wonderful gift； sir；
a wonderful gift！〃
〃I am glad to hear you say so；〃 returned Hallowell。
He nodded to her in dismissal； and turned to the next visitor。
〃And this gentleman？〃 he asked。
〃Professor Strombergk；〃 announced Vance； 〃the distinguished
writer on psychic and occult subjects； editor of The World
Beyond。〃
A tall； full…bearded German； in a too…short frock coat； bowed
awkwardly。 Upon him； as upon Mannie； had fallen the spell of the
Hallowell fortune。 He； who chatted familiarly with departed
popes and emperors； who daily was in communication with Goethe；
Caesar； and Epictetus； thrilled with embarrassment before the
man who had made millions from a coupling pin。
〃And Helen！〃 Mr。 Hallowell cried； as Miss Coates followed the
Professor。 〃That is all； is it not？〃 he asked。
Miss Coates moved aside to disclose the person of the reporter
from the Republic； Homer Lee。
〃I have taken you at your word； uncle；〃 she said。； 〃and have
brought a friend with me。〃 In some trepidation she added； 〃He is
Mr。 Lee； a reporter from the Republic。〃
〃A reporter！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Hallowell。 Disturbed and yet amused
at the audacity of his niece； he shook his head reprovingly。 〃I
don't think I meant reporters；〃 he remonstrated。
〃You said in your note；〃 returned his niece； 〃that as I had so
much at stake； I could bring any one I pleased； and the less he
believed in spiritualism； the better。 Mr。 Lee；〃 she added dryly；
〃believes even less than I do。〃
〃Then it will be all the more of a triumph； if we convince him；〃
declared Hallowell。 〃Understand； young man；〃 he proclaimed
loudly； 〃I am not a spiritualist。 I am merely conducting an
investigation。 I want the truth。 If you； or my niece； detect any
fraud tonight； I want to know it。〃 Including in his speech the
others in the room； he glared suspiciously in turn at each。
〃Keep your eyes open；〃 he ordered； 〃you will be serving me quite
as much as you will Miss Coates。〃
Miss Coates and Lee thanked him and； recognizing themselves as
the opposition and in the minority； withdrew for consultation
into a corner of the bay window。
Vance approached Mr。 Hallowell。
〃If you are ready；〃 he said； 〃we will examine the cabinet。 Shall
I wheel it over here； or will you look at it where it is？〃
〃If it is to be in that corner during the seance；〃 declared Mr。
Hallowell； 〃I'll look at it where it is。〃
As he struggled from his chair； he turned to Mrs。 Marsh； and
nodded his head knowingly。 〃You see； Mrs。 Marsh；〃 he said； 〃I am
taking no chances。〃
〃That is quite right； Mr。 Hallowell；〃 purred the old lady。 〃If
there be any doubt in your mind； you must get rid of it； or we
will have no results。〃
With a dramatic gesture； Vance swept aside from the opening in
the cabinet the black velvet curtain。 〃It's a simple affair；〃 he
said indifferently。 〃As you see； it's open at the top and
bottom。 The medium sits inside on that chair； bound hand and
foot。〃
In turn； Mr。 Hallowell； Mrs。 Marsh； Gaylor； Rainey； Professor
Strombergk entered the cabinet。 With their knuckles they beat
upon its sides。 They moved it to and fro。 They dropped to their
knees； and with their fingers tugged at the carpet upon which it
stood。
Under cover of their questions； in the corner of the bay windo