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第17节

vera, the medium-第17节

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need me。〃 〃No;〃 said the girl。 〃No matter what happens; I tell
you; between us; this is the end。〃

〃Then;〃 begged the man; 〃if this is the end; for God's sake;
Vera; as my last request; do not do it!〃

The girl shook her head。 〃No;〃 she repeated firmly。 〃I've tried
to get away from it; and each time they've forced me back。 Now;
I'll go on with it。 I've promised Paul; and the others。 And you
heard me promise that woman。〃

〃But you didn't mean that!〃 protested the man。 〃She insulted
you; you were angry。 You're angry now; piqued  〃

〃Mr。 Winthrop;〃 interrupted the girl; 〃today you told me I was
not playing the game。 You told the truth。 When you said this
was a mean business; you were right。 But〃  for the first time
since she had spoken her tones were shaken; uncertain  〃I've
been driven out of every other business。〃 She waited until her
voice was again under control; and then said slowly;
definitely; 〃and; tonight; I am going to show Mr。 Hallowell the
spirit of his sister。〃

In the eyes of Winthrop the look of pain; of disappointment; of
reproach; was so keen; that the girl turned her own away。

〃No;〃 said the man gently; 〃you will not do that。〃

〃You can stop my doing it tonight;〃 returned the girl; 〃but at
some other time; at some other place; I will do it。〃

〃You yourself will stop it;〃 said Winthrop。 〃You are too honest;
too fine; to act such a lie。 Why not be yourself?〃 he begged。
〃Why not disappoint these other people who do not know you? Why
disappoint the man who knows you best; who trusts you; who
believes in you  〃。

〃You are the very one;〃 interrupted the girl; 〃who doesn't know
me。 I am not fine; I am not honest。 I am a charlatan and a
cheat; I am all that woman called me。 And that is why you can't
know me。 That's why。 I told you; if you did; you would be
sorry。〃

〃I am not sorry;〃 said Winthrop。

〃You will be;〃 returned the girl; 〃before the night is over。〃

〃On the contrary;〃 answered the man quietly; 〃I shall wait here
to congratulate you  on your failure。〃

〃I shall not fail;〃 said the girl。 Avoiding his eyes; she turned
from him and; for a moment; stood gazing before her miserably。
Her lips were trembling; her eyes moist with rising tears。 Then
she faced him; her head raised defiantly。

〃I have been hounded out of every decent way of living;〃 she
protested hysterically。 〃I can make thousands of dollars
tonight;〃 she cried; 〃out of this one。〃

Winthrop looked straight into her eyes。 His own were pleading;
full of tenderness and pity; so eloquent with meaning that those
of the girl fell before them。

〃That is no answer;〃 said the man。 〃You know it's not。 I tell
you  you will fail。〃

From the hall Judge Gaylor entered noisily。 Instinctively the
man and girl moved nearer together; and upon the intruder
Winthrop turned angrily。

〃Well?〃 he demanded sharply。 〃I thought you had finished your
talk;〃 protested the Judge。 〃Mr。 Hallowell is anxious to begin。〃

Winthrop turned and looked at Vera steadily。 For an instant the
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?〃


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