vera, the medium-第4部分

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lawyer；　eyeing　him　apprehensively；　nodded。　With　the　patient
voice　of　one　who　tried　to　reason　with　an　unreasonable　child；　Mr。
Hallowell　began。　〃Helen；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　told　you　many　times
there　never　was　such　an　agreement。　There　was　a　verbal　　〃

〃And　I　repeat；　I　saw　it；〃　said　Miss　Coates。

〃When？〃　asked　Hallowell。

〃I　saw　it　first　when　I　was　fifteen；〃　answered　the　young　woman
steadily；　〃and　two　years　later；　before　mother　died；　she　showed
it　to　me　again。　It　was　with　father's　papers。〃

〃Miss　Coates；〃　asked　the　Judge；　〃where　is　this　agreement　now？〃

For　a　moment　Miss　Coates　hesitated。　Her　dislike　for　Gaylor　was
so　evident　that；　to　make　it　less　apparent；　she　lowered　her　eyes。
〃My　uncle　should　be　able　to　tell　you；〃　she　said　evenly。　〃He　was
my　father's　executor。　But；　when　he　returned　my　father's　papers〃
　she　paused　and　then；　although　her　voice　fell　to　almost　a
whisper；　continued　defiantly；　〃the　agreement　was　not　with　them。〃

There　was　a　moment's　silence。　To　assure　himself　the　others　had
heard　as　he　did；　Mr。　Hallowell　glanced　quickly　from　Winthrop　to
Gaylor。　He　half　rose　from　his　chair　and　leaned　across　the　table。

〃What！〃　he　demanded。　His　niece　looked　at　him　steadily。

〃You　heard　what　I　said；〃　she　answered。

The　old　man　leaned　farther　forward。

〃So！〃　he　cried；　〃so！　I　am　not　only　doing　you　an　injustice；　but　I
am　a　thief！　Mr。　Winthrop；〃　he　cried　appealingly；　〃do　you
appreciate　the　seriousness　of　this？〃

Winthrop　nodded　cheerfully。　〃It's　certainly　pretty　serious；〃　he
assented。

〃It　is　so　serious；〃　cried　Mr。　Hallowell；　〃that　I　welcome　you
into　this　matter。　Now；　we　will　settle　it　once　and　forever。〃　He
turned　to　his　niece。　〃I　have　tried　to　be　generous；〃　he　cried；　〃I
have　tried　to　be　kind；　and　you　insult　me　in　my　own　house。〃　He
pressed　the　button　that　summoned　the　butler　from　the　floor
below。　〃Gentlemen；　this　interview　is　at　an　end。　From　now　on　this
matter　is　in　the　hands　of　my　lawyer。　We　will　settle　this　in　the
courts。〃

With　an　exclamation　of　pleasure　that　was　an　acceptance　of　his
challenge；　Miss　Coates　rose。

〃That　is　satisfactory　to　me；〃　she　said。　Winthrop　turned　to　Mr。
Hallowell。

〃Could　I　have　a　few　minutes　talk　with　Judge　Gaylor　now？〃　he
asked。　〃Not　as　anybody's　counsel；〃　he　explained；　〃just　as　an　old
enemy　of　his？〃

〃Well；　not　here；〃　protested　the　old　man　querulously。　〃I'm　　I'm
expecting　some　friends　here。　Judge；　take　Mr。　Winthrop　to　the
drawing　room　downstairs。〃　He　turned　to　Garrett；　who　had　appeared
in　answer　to　his　summons；　and　told　him　to　bring　Dr。　Rainey　to
the　library。　The　butler　left　the　room　and；　as　Gaylor　and
Winthrop　followed；　the　latter　asked　Miss　Coates　if　he　might
expect　to　see　her　at　the　〃Office。〃　She　told　him　that　she　was　now
on　her　way　there。　Without　acknowledging　the　presence　of　her
uncle；　she　had　started　to　follow　the　others；　when　Mr。　Hallowell
stopped　her。

After　they　were　alone；　for　a　moment　he　sat　staring　at　her；　his
eyes　filled　with　dislike　and　with　a　suggestion　of　childish
spite。　〃I　might　as　well　tell　you；〃　he　began；　〃that　after　what
you　said　this　morning；　I　will　never　give　you　a　single　dollar　of
my　money。〃

The　tone　in　which　his　niece　replied　to　him　was　no　more
conciliatory　than　his　own。　〃You　cannot　give　it　to　me；〃　she
answered；　〃because　it　is　not　yours　to　give。〃　As　though　to　add
impressiveness　to　what　she　was　about　to　say；　or　to　prevent　his
interrupting　her；　she　raised　her　hand。　So　interested　in　each
other　were　the　old　man　and　the　girl　that　neither　noticed　the
appearance　in　the　door　of　Dr。　Rainey　and　the　butler；　who　halted；
hesitating；　waiting　permission　to　enter。

〃That　money　belongs　to　me；〃　said　Miss　Coates　slowly；　〃and　as
sure　as　my　mother　is　in　Heaven　and　her　spirit　is　guiding　me；
that　money　will　be　given　me。〃

In　the　pause　that　followed；　a　swift　and　singular　change　came
over　the　face　of　Mr。　Hallowell。　He　stared　at　his　niece　as　though
fascinated。　His　lower　lip　dropped　in　awe。　The　look　of　hostility
gave　way　to　one　of　intense　interest。　His　voice　was　hardly　louder
than　a　whisper。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　demanded。

The　girl　looked　at　him；　uncomprehending。　〃What　do　I　mean？〃　she
repeated。

〃When　you　said；〃　he　stammered　eagerly；　〃that　the　spirit　of　your
mother　was　guiding　you；　what　did　you　mean？〃

In　the　doorway；　Rainey　and　the　butler　started。　Each　threw　the
other　a　quick　glance　of　concern。

〃Why；〃　exclaimed　the　girl　impatiently；　〃her　influence；　her
example；　what　she　taught　me。〃

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　the　old　man。　He　leaned　back　with　an　air　almost
of　disappointment。

〃When　she　was　alive？〃　he　said。

〃Of　course；〃　answered　the　girl。

〃Of　course；〃　repeated　the　uncle。　〃I　thought　you　meant　　〃　He
looked　suspiciously　at　her　and　shook　his　head。　〃Never　mind；〃　he
added。　〃Well；〃　he　went　on　cynically；　striving　to　cover　up　the
embarrassment　of　the　moment；　〃your　mother's　spirit　will　probably
feel　as　deep　an　interest　in　her　brother　as　in　her　daughter。　We
shall　see；　we　shall　see　which　of　us　two　she　is　going　to　help。〃
He　turned　to　Garrett　and　Rainey　in　the　hall。　〃Take　my　niece　to
the　door；　Garrett；〃　he　directed。

As　soon　as　Miss　Coates　had　disappeared；　Hallowell　turned　to
Rainey；　his　face　lit　with　pleased　and　childish　anticipation。

〃Well；〃　he　whispered　eagerly；　〃is　she　here？〃

Rainey　nodded　and　glanced　in　the　direction　opposite　to　the　one
Miss　Coates　had　taken。　〃She's　been　waiting　half　an　hour。　And　the
Professor　too。〃

〃Bring　them　at　once；〃　commanded　Mr。　Hallowell　excitedly。　〃And
then　shut　the　door　　and　　and　tell　the　Judge　I　can't　see　him
　tell　him　I'm　too　tired　to　see　him。　Understand？〃

Rainey　peered　cautiously　over　the　railing　of　the　stairs　to　the
first　floor；　and　then　beckoned　to　some　one　who　apparently　was
waiting　at　the　end　of　the　hall。

〃Miss　Vera；　sir；〃　he　announced；　〃and　Professor　Vance。〃

Although　but　lately　established　in　New　York；　the　persons　Dr。
Rainey　introduced　had　already　made　themselves　comparatively
well…known。　For　the　last　six　weeks　as　〃headliners〃　at　one　of　the
vaudeville　theatres；　and　as　entertainers　at　private　houses；
under　the　firm　name　of　〃The　Vances；〃　they　had　been　giving　an
exhibition　of　code　and　cipher　signaling。　They　called　it　mind
reading。　During　the　day；　at　the　house　of　Vance　and　his　wife；　the
girl；　as　〃Vera；　the　Medium；〃　furnished　to　all　comers　memories　of
the　past　or　news　of　the　future。　In　their　profession；　in　all　of
its　branches；　the　man　and　the　girl　were　past　masters。　They　knew
it　from　the　A；　B；　C　of　the　dream　book　to　the　post…graduate　work
of　projecting　from　a　cabinet　the　spirits　of　the　dead。　As　the
occasion　offered　and　paid　best；　they　were　mind　readers；
clairvoyants；　materializing　mediums；　test　mediums。　From　them；　a
pack　of　cards；　a　crystal　globe；　the　lines　of　the　human　hand；
held　no　secrets。　They　found　lost　articles；　cast　horoscopes；　gave
advice　in　affairs　of　the　heart；　of　business　and　speculation；
uttered　warnings　of　journeys　over　seas　and　against　a　smooth…
shaven　stranger。　They　even　stooped　to　foretell　earthquakes；　or
caused　to　drop　fluttering　from　the　ceiling　a　letter　straight
from　the　Himalayas。　Among　those　who　are　the　gypsies　of　the
cities；　they　were　the　aristocrats　of　their　calling；　and　to　them
that　calling　was　as　legitimate　a　business　as　is；　to　the　roadside
gypsy；　the　swapping　of　horses。　The　fore…parents　of　each　had
followed　that　same　calling；　and　to　the　children　it　was
commonplace　and　matter…of…fact。　It　held　no　adventure；　no　moral
obloquy。

〃Prof。〃　Paul　Vance　was　a　young　man　of　under　forty　years。　He
looked　like　a　fox。　He　had　red　eyes；　alert　and　cunning；　a　long；
sharp…pointed　nose；　a　pointed　red　beard；　and　red　eyebrows　that
slanted　upward。　His　hair；　standing　erect　in　a　pompadour；　and　his
uplifted　eyebrows　gave　him　the　watchful　look　of　the　fox　when　he
hears　suddenly　the　hound　baying　in　pursuit。　But　no　one　had　ever
successfully　pursued　Vance。　No　one　had　ever　driven　him　into　a
corner　from　which；　either　pleasantly；　or　with　raging
indignation；　he　was　not　able　to　free　himself。　Seven　years　before
he　had　disloyally　married　out　of　the　〃profession〃　and　for　no
other　reason　than　that　he　was　in　love　with　the　woman　he　married。
She　had　come　to　seek　advice　from　the　spirit　world　in　regard　to
taking　a　second　husband。　After　several　visits　the　spirit　world
had　advised　Vance　to　advise　her　to　marry　Vance。

She　did　so；　and　though　the　man　was　still　in　love　with　his　wife；
he　had　not　found　her；　in　his　work；　the　assistance　he　had　hoped
she　might　be。　She　still　was　a　〃believer〃；　in　the　technical
vernacular　of　her　husband　　〃a　dope。〃　Not　even　the　intimate
knowledge　she　had　gained　behind　the　scenes　could　persuade　her
that　Paul；　her　husband；　was　not　in　constant　communication　with
the　spirit　world；　or　that；　if　he　wished；　he　could　not　read　the
thoughts　that　moved　slowly　through　her　pretty　head。

At　the　time　of　his　marriage；　the　girl　Vera；　then　a　child　of
fourteen；　had　written　to　Vance　for　help。　She　was　ill；　without
money；　and　asked　for　work。　To　him　she　was　known　as　the　last　of　a
long　line　of　people　who　had　always　been　professional　mediums　and
spiritualists；　and；　out　of　charity　and　from　a　sense　of　noblesse
oblige　to　one　of　the　elect　of　the　profession；　Vance　had　made　her
his　assistant。　He　had　never　regretted　having　done　so。　The　bread
cast　upon　the　waters　was　returned　a　thousandfold。　From　the
first；　the　girl　brought　in　money。　And　his　wife；　the　older　of　the
two；　had　welcomed　her　as　a　companion。　After　a　fashion　the　Vances
had　adopted　her。　In　the　advertisements　she　was　described　as
their　〃ward。〃

Vera　now　was　twenty…one；　tall；　wonderfully　graceful；　and　of　the
most　enchanting　loveliness。　Her　education　had　been　cosmopolitan。
In　the　largest　cities　of　America　she　had　met　persons　of　every
class　　young　women；　old　women；　mothers　with　married　sons　and
daughters；　women　of　society　as　it　is　exploited　in　the　Sunday
supplements；　school　girls；　shop　girls；　factory　girls　　all　had
told　her　their　troubles；　and　men　of　every　condition　had　come　to
scoff　and　had　remained　to　express；　more　or　less　offensively；
their　admiration。　Some　of　the　younger　of　these；　after　a　first
visit；　returned　the　day　following；　and　each　begged　the　beautiful
priestess　of　the　occult　to　fly　with　him；　to　live　with　him；　to
marry　him。　When　this　happened　Vera　would　touch　a　button；　and