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〃Good！〃 exclaimed Vera。 〃Well； now；〃 she inquired； 〃now we talk；
don't we？〃
〃Yes；〃 assented Winthrop promptly； 〃we talk about you。〃
〃No； I I don't think we do；〃 declared Vera； in haste。 〃I
think we talk about Geneva。〃 She turned to him with real
interest。 〃Is the town much changed？〃 she asked。
As though preparing for a long talk； Winthrop dropped his hat to
the floor and settled himself comfortably。 〃Well； it is； and it
isn't；〃 he answered。 〃Haven't you been back lately？〃 he asked。
Vera looked quickly away from him。
〃I have never been back！〃 she answered。 There was a pause and
when she again turned her eyes to his； she was smiling。 〃But I
always take the Geneva Times；〃 she said； 〃and I often read that
you've been there。 You're a great man in Geneva。〃
Winthrop nodded gravely。
〃Whenever I want to be a great man；〃 he said； 〃I go to Geneva。〃
〃Why； yes；〃 exclaimed Vera。 〃Last June you delivered the oration
to the graduating class；〃 she laughed； 〃on The College Man in
Politics。 Such an original subject！ And did you point to
yourself？〃 she asked mockingly； 〃as the the bright example？〃
〃No；〃 protested Winthrop； 〃I knew they'd see that。〃
Much to her relief； Vera found that of Winthrop she was no
longer afraid。
〃Oh！〃 she protested； 〃didn't you say； twelve years ago； a humble
boy played ball for Hobart College。 That boy now stands before
you？ Didn't you say that？〃
〃Something like that；〃assented the District Attorney。 〃Oh！〃 he
exclaimed； 〃that young man who showed me in here your
confederate or fellow…conspirator or lookout man or whatever he
is told me you used to be a regular attendant at those
games。〃
〃I never missed one！〃 Vera cried。 She leaned forward； her eyes
shining； her brows knit with the effort of recollection。
〃I used to tell Aunt；〃 she said； 〃I had to drive in for the
mail。 But that was only an excuse。 Aunt had an old buggy； and an
old white horse called Roscoe Conkling。 I called him Rocks。 He
was blind in one eye； and he would walk on the wrong side of the
road； you had to drive him on one rein。〃 The girl was speaking
rapidly； eagerly。 She had lost all fear of her visitor。 With
satisfaction Winthrop recognized this； and unconsciously he was
now frankly regarding the face of the girl with a smile of
pleasure and admiration。
〃And I used to tie him to the fence just opposite first base；〃
Vera went on excitedly； 〃and shout for you！〃
〃Don't tell me；〃 interrupted Winthrop； in burlesque excitement；
〃that you were that very pretty little girl； with short dresses
and long legs； who used to sit on the top rail and kick and
cheer。〃
Vera shook her head sternly。
〃I was；〃 she said； 〃but you never saw me。〃
〃Oh； yes； we did；〃 protested Winthrop。 〃We used to call you our
mascot。〃
〃No； that was some other little girl；〃 said Vera firmly。 〃You
never looked at me； and I〃 she laughed； and then frowned at
him reproachfully 〃I thought you were magnificent！ I used to
have your pictures in baseball clothes pinned all around my
looking glass； and whenever you made a base hit； I'd shout and
shout and you'd never look at me！ And one day 〃 she
stopped； and as though appalled by the memory； clasped her
hands。 〃Oh； it was awful！〃 she exclaimed； 〃one day a foul ball
hit the fence； and I jumped down and threw it to you； and you
said； Thank you； sis！ And I；〃 she cried； 〃thought I was a young
lady！〃
〃Oh！ I couldn't have said that；〃 protested Winthrop； 〃maybe I
said sister。〃
〃No；〃 declared Vera energetically shaking her head； 〃not
sister； sis。 And you never did look at me； and I used to drive
past your house every day。 We lived only a mile below you。〃
〃Where？〃 asked Winthrop。
〃On the lake road from Syracuse；〃 said Vera。 〃Don't you remember
the farm a mile below yours the one with the red barn right
on the road？ Yes； you do；〃 she insisted； 〃the cows were always
looking over the fence right into the road。〃
〃Of course！〃 exclaimed Winthrop delightedly。 〃Was that your
house？〃
〃Oh； no；〃 protested Vera； 〃ours was the little cottage on the
other side 〃
〃With poplars round it？〃 demanded Winthrop。
〃That's it！〃 cried Vera triumphantly； 〃with poplars round it。〃
〃Why； I know that house well。 We boys used to call it the
haunted house。〃
〃That's the one；〃 assented Vera。 She smiled with satisfaction。
〃Well； that's where I lived until Aunt died；〃 she said。
〃And then； what？〃 asked Winthrop。
For a moment the girl did not answer。 Her face had grown grave
and she sat motionless； staring beyond her。 Suddenly； as though
casting her thoughts from her； she gave a sharp toss of her
head。
〃Then；〃 she said； speaking quickly； 〃I went into the mills； and
was ill there； and I wrote Paul and Mabel to ask if I could join
them； and they said I could。 But I was too ill； and I had no
money nothing。 And then；〃 she raised her eyes to his and
regarded him steadily； 〃then I stole that cloak to get the money
to join them； and you you helped me to get away； and and〃
Winthrop broke in hastily。 He disregarded both her manner and
the nature of what she had said。
〃And how did you come to know the Vances？〃 he asked。
After a pause of an instant； the girl accepted the cue his
manner gave her； and answered as before。
〃Through my aunt；〃 she said。 〃she was a medium too。〃
〃Of course！〃 cried Winthrop。 〃I remember now。 that's why we
called it the haunted house。〃
〃My aunt；〃 said the girl； regarding him steadily and with； in
her manner； a certain defiance； 〃was a great medium。 All the
spiritualists in that part of the State used to meet at our
house。 I've witnessed some wonderful manifestations in that
front parlor。〃 She turned to Winthrop and smiled。 〃So； you see；〃
she exclaimed； 〃I was born and brought up in this business。 I am
the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter。 My grandmother was a
medium； my mother was a medium she worked with the Fox
sisters before they were exposed。 But； my aunt；〃 she added
thoughtfully； judicially； 〃was the greatest medium I have ever
seen。 She did certain things I couldn't understand； and I know
every trick in the trade unless；〃 she explained； 〃you believe
the spirits helped her。〃
Winthrop was observing the girl intently； with a new interest。
〃And you don't believe that？〃 he asked； quietly。
〃How can I？〃 Vera said。 〃I was brought up with them。〃 She shook
her head and smiled。 〃I used to play around the kitchen stove
with Pocahontas and Alexander the Great； and Martin Luther lived
in our china closet。 You see； the neighbors wouldn't let their
children come to our house； so； the only playmates I had were
ghosts。〃 She laughed wistfully。 〃My！〃 she exclaimed； 〃I was a
queer； lonely little rat。 I used to hear voices and see visions。
I do still；〃 she added。 With her elbows on the arms of her
chair； she clasped her hands under her chin and leaned forward。
She turned her eyes to Winthrop and nodded confidentially。
〃Do you know；〃 she said； 〃sometimes I think people from the
other world do speak to me。〃
〃But you said；〃 Winthrop objected； 〃you didn't believe。〃
〃I know；〃 returned Vera。 〃I can't！〃 Her voice was perplexed；
impatient。 〃Why； I can sit in this chair；〃 she declared
earnestly； 〃and fill this room with spirit voices and rappings；
and you sitting right there can't see how I do it。 And yet；
inspite of all the tricks； sometimes I believe there's something
in it。〃
She looked at Winthrop； her eyes open with inquiry。 He shook his
head。
〃Yes；〃 insisted the girl。 〃When these women come to me for
advice； I don't invent what I say to them。 It's as though
something told me what to say。 I have never met them before； but
as soon as I pass into the trance state I seem to know all their
troubles。 And I seem to be half in this world and half in
another world carrying messages between them。 Maybe；〃 her
voice had sunk to almost a whisper； she continued as though
speaking to herself； 〃I only think that。 I don't know。 I
wonder。〃
There was a long pause。
〃I wish；〃 began Winthrop earnestly； 〃I wish you were younger； or
I were older。〃
〃Why？〃 asked Vera。
〃Because；〃 said the young man； 〃I'd like to talk to you like
a father。〃
Vera turned and smiled on him securely； with frank friendliness。
〃Go ahead；〃 she assented； 〃talk to me like a father。〃
Winthrop smiled back at her； and then frowned。
〃You shouldn't be in this business；〃 he said。
The girl regarded him steadily。
〃What's the matter with the business？〃 she asked。
Winthrop felt she had put him upon the defensive； but he did not
hesitate。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃there may be some truth in it。 But we don't
know that。 We do know that there's a lot of fraud and deceit in
it。 Now；〃 he declared warmly； 〃there's nothing deceitful about
you。 You're fine；〃 he cried enthusiastically； 〃you're big！ That
boy who was in here told me one story about you that showed 〃
Vera stopped him sharply。
〃What do you know of me？〃 she asked bitterly。 〃The first time
you ever saw me I was in a police court； and this morning you
heard that man threaten to put me in jail 〃
In turn； by abruptly rising from his chair； Winthrop interrupted
her。 He pushed the chair out of his way； and； shoving his hands
into