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〃Then；〃 instructed Gaylor； 〃do not let her know until she
arrives until it will be too late for her to back out。〃
Vance nodded and； waiting until from the back room he heard the
voices of Mannie and Winthrop； he opened the front door and the
two men ran down the steps into the street。
While the conspirators were hidden in the vestibule； Mannie had
opened the folding doors； and invited Winthrop to enter the
reception parlor。
〃Miss Vera will be down in a minute；〃 he said。 〃If you want your
hand read；〃 he added； pointing； 〃you sit over there。〃
As Winthrop approached the centre table； Mannie backed against
the piano。 The presence of the District Attorney at such short
range aroused in him many emotions。 Alternately he was torn with
alarm； with admiration； with curiosity。 He regarded him
apprehensively； with a nervous and unhappy smile。
About the smile there was something that Winthrop found
familiar； and； with one almost as attractive； he answered it。
〃I think we've met before； haven't we？〃 he asked pleasantly。
Mannie nodded。 〃Yes； sir；〃 he answered promptly。 〃At Sam
Hepner's old place； on West Forty…fourth street。〃
〃Why； of course！〃 exclaimed the District Attorney。
〃Don't you don't you remember？〃 stammered Mannie eagerly。 He
was deeply concerned lest the distinguished cross…examiner
should think； that from him of his lurid past he could withhold
anything。 〃I had my coat off and you said you'd make it hot
for me。〃
〃Did I？〃 asked Winthrop with an effort at recollection。
〃No； you didn't！〃 Mannie hastened to reassure him。 〃I mean； you
didn't make it hot for me。〃
Winthrop laughed； and seated himself comfortably beside the
centre table。 Well I'm glad of that；〃 he said。 〃So our relations
are still pleasant； then？〃 he asked。
〃Sure！〃 exclaimed Mannie heartily。 〃I mean yes； sir。〃
Winthrop mechanically reached for his cigarette case； and then；
recollecting； withdrew his hand。
〃And how are the ponies running？' he asked。
The interview was filling Mannie with excitement and delight。 He
chuckled with pleasure。 His fear of the great man was rapidly
departing。 Could this； he asked himself； be the 〃terror to evil…
doers；〃 the man whose cruel questions drove witnesses to tears；
whose 〃third degree〃 sent veterans of the underworld staggering
from his confessional box； limp and gasping？
〃Oh； pretty well；〃 said the boy； 〃seems as if I couldn't keep
away from them。 I got a good thing for today Pompadour in
the fifth。 I put all the money on her I could get together；〃 he
announced importantly； and then added frankly； with a laugh；
〃two dollars！〃 The laugh was contagious； and the District
Attorney laughed with him。
〃Pompadour；〃 Winthrop objected； 〃she's one of those winter track
favorites。〃
〃I know； but today；〃 declared Mannie； 〃she win； sure！〃 Carried
away by his enthusiasm； and by the sympathy of his audience； he
rushed； unheeding； to his fate。 〃If you'd like to put a little
on；〃 he said； 〃I can tell you where you can do it。〃
The District Attorney stared and laughed。 〃You mustn't tell me
where you can do it；〃 he said。
Mannie gave a terrified gasp and； for an instant； clapped his
hands over his lips。 〃That's right；〃 he cried。 〃Gee； that's
right！ I'm such a crank on all kinds of sport that I clean
forgot！〃
He gazed at the much…dreaded District Attorney with the awe of
the new…born hero…worshipper。 〃I guess you are； too； hey？〃 he
protested admiringly。 〃Vera was telling me you used to be a
great ball tosser。〃
In the face of the District Attorney there came a sudden
interest。 His eyes lightened。
〃How did she 〃
〃She used to watch you in Geneva；〃 said Mannie； 〃playing with
the college lads。 I I；〃 he added consciously； 〃was a ball
player myself once。 Used to pitch for the Interstate League。〃 He
stopped abruptly。
〃Interstate？〃 said Winthrop encouragingly。 〃You must have been
good。〃
The enthusiasm had departed from the face of the boy。 〃Yes； he
said； 〃but 〃 he smiled shamefacedly； 〃but I got taking coke；
and they 〃 He finished with a dramatic gesture of the hand as
of a man tossing away a cigarette。
〃Cocaine？〃 said the District Attorney。
The boy nodded and； for an instant； the two men eyed each other；
the boy smiling ruefully。 The District Attorney shook his head。
〃My young friend；〃 he said； 〃you can never beat that game！〃
Mannie stared at him； his eyes filled with surprise。
〃Don't you suppose；〃 he said simply； 〃that I know that better
than you do？〃 With a boy's pride in his own incorrigibility he
went on boastingly： 〃Oh； yes；〃 he said； 〃I used to be awful bad！
Cocaine and all kinds of dope； and cigarettes； and whiskey。 I
was nearly all in with morphine； it was then till she took
hold of me； and stopped me。〃
〃She？〃 said Winthrop。
〃Vera；〃 said Mannie。 〃She made me stop。 I had to stop。 She
started taking it herself。〃
〃What！〃 cried Winthrop。
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed Mannie hastily； 〃I don't mean what you mean I
mean she started taking it to make me stop。 She says to me；
Mannie； you're killing yourself； and you got to quit it； and if
you don't； every time you take a grain； I'll take two。 And she
did！ I'd come home； and she'd see what I'd been doing； and she'd
up with her sleeves； and 〃 In horrible pantomime； the boy
lifted the cuff of his shirt； and pressed his right thumb
against the wrist of his other arm。 At the memory of it； he gave
a shiver and； with a blow； roughly struck the cuff into place。
〃God！〃 he muttered； 〃I couldn't stand it。 I begged； and begged
her not。 I cried。 I used to get down； in this room； on my knees。
And each time she'd get whiter； and black under the eyes。 And
and I had to stop。 Didn't I？〃
Winthrop moved his head。
〃And now；〃 cried the boy with a happy laugh； 〃I'm all right！〃 He
appealed to the older man eagerly； wistfully。 〃Don't you think
I'm looking better than I did the last time you saw me？〃
Again； without venturing to speak； Winthrop nodded。
Mannie smiled with pride。 〃Everybody tells me so；〃 he said。
〃Well； she did it。 That's what she did for me。 And； I can tell
you；〃 he said simply； sincerely； 〃there ain't anything I
wouldn't do for her。 I guess that's right； hey？〃 he added。
The eyes of the cruel cross…examiner； veiled under half…closed
lids； were regarding the boy with so curious an expression that
under their scrutiny Mannie； in embarrassment； moved uneasily。
〃I guess that's right；〃 he repeated。
To his surprise； the District Attorney rose from his comfortable
position and； leaning across the table； held out his hand。
Mannie took it awkwardly。
〃That's all right；〃 he said。
〃Sure； it's all right；〃 said the District Attorney。
From the hall there was the sound of light； quick steps； and
Mannie； happy to escape from a situation he did not understand；
ran to the door。
〃She's coming；〃 he said。 He opened the door and； as Vera
entered； he slipped past her and closed it behind him。
Vera walked directly to the chair at the top of the centre
table。 She was nervous； and she was conscious that that fact was
evident。 To avoid shaking hands with her visitor； she carried
her own clasped in front of her； with the fingers interlaced。
She tried to speak in her usual suave； professional tone。 〃How
do you do？〃 she said。
But Winthrop would not be denied。 With a smile that showed his
pleasure at again seeing her； he advanced eagerly； with his hand
outstretched。 〃How are you？〃 he exclaimed。 〃Aren't you going to
shake hands with me？〃 he demanded。 〃With an old friend？〃
Vera gave him her hand quickly； and then； seating herself at the
table； picked up the ivory pointer。
〃I didn't know you were coming as an old friend；〃 she murmured
embarrassedly。 〃You said you were coming to consult Vera； the
medium。〃
〃But you said that was the only way I could come；〃 protested
Winthrop。 〃Don't you remember； you said 〃
Vera interrupted him。 She spoke distantly； formally。 〃What kind
of a reading do you want？〃 she asked。 〃A hand reading； or a
crystal reading？〃
Winthrop leaned forward in his chair； frankly smiling at her。 He
made no attempt to conceal the pleasure the sight of her gave
him。 His manner was that of a very old and dear friend； who； for
the first time； had met her after a separation of years。
〃Don't want any kind of a reading；〃 he declared。 〃I want a
talking。 You don't seem to understand；〃 he objected； 〃that I am
making an afternoon call。〃 His good humor was unassailable。
Looking up with a perplexed frown； Vera met his eyes and saw
that he was laughing at her。 She threw the ivory pointer down
and； leaning back in her chair； smiled at him。
〃I don't believe；〃 she said doubtfully； 〃that I know much about
afternoon calls。 What would I do； if we were on Fifth Avenue？
Would I give you tea？〃 she asked； 〃because；〃 she added hastily；
〃there isn't any tea。〃
〃In that case； it is not etiquette to offer any；〃 said Winthrop
gravely。
〃Then；〃 said Vera； 〃I'm doing it right； so far？〃
They both laughed； Vera because she still was in awe of him； and
Winthrop because he was happy。
〃You're doing it charmingly；〃 Winthrop assured her。
〃Good！〃 exclaimed Vera。 〃Well； now；〃 she inquired； 〃now we talk；
don't we？〃
〃Y