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！
will be outside the cabinet working the rappings； the floating
music； and the astral bodies。〃 At the sight of the expression
these words brought to the face of Gaylor； Vance permitted
himself the shadow of a smile。 〃I can take care of myself；〃 he
went on； 〃but remember Vera must not be caught outside the
cabinet！ When the lights go up； she must be found with the ropes
still tied。〃
Gaylor turned from him with an exclamation of disgust。
〃Pah！〃 he muttered。 〃It's a hell of a business！〃
Vance continued unmoved。 〃And； another thing；〃 he said； 〃about
these lights； this switch throws them all off； doesn't it？〃 He
pressed a button on the left of the door； and the electric
lights in the walls and under a green shade on the library table
faded and disappeared； leaving the room； save for the light from
the hall； in darkness。
〃That's the way we want it；〃 said the showman。
From the hall Mannie appeared between the curtains that hung
across the doorway。 〃What are you doing with the lights？〃 he
demanded。 〃You want to break my neck？ All our people are
downstairs；〃 he announced。
Vance turned on the lights。 At the same moment Rainey came from
the bedroom into the library。 It was evident that to sustain his
courage he had been drinking。 He made no effort to greet those
in the room； but stood； glaring resentfully at the cabinet and
the row of chairs。
〃Well；〃 exclaimed Vance cheerfully； 〃if our folks are all here；
we're all right。〃
Glancing behind him； Mannie took Vance by the sleeve； and led
him to the centre of the room。
〃No； we're not all right；〃 said the boy； 〃that Miss Coates has
brought a friend with her。 She says Hallowell told her she could
bring a friend。 She says this young fellow is her friend。 I
think he's a Pink！〃
〃What nonsense；〃 exclaimed Gaylor in alarm。 〃No detective would
force his way into this house。〃
〃She says；〃 continued Mannie； disregarding Gaylor； and still
addressing Vance； 〃he's a seeker after the Truth。 I'll bet；〃
declared the boy violently； 〃he's a seeker after the truth！〃
Garrett came hastily and noiselessly into the room。 He nodded
toward Mannie。
〃Has he told you？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 Gaylor answered； 〃who is he？〃
〃The reporter who was here this morning；〃 Garrett returned。 〃The
one who threatened 〃
〃That'll do；〃 commanded Gaylor。 In the face of this new
complication he again became himself。 Suavely and politely he
turned to Vance。 〃Will you and your friend join Miss Vera；〃 he
asked； 〃and tell her that we begin in a few minutes？〃
For the first time； aggressively and offensively Rainey broke
his silence。
〃No； we won't begin in a few minutes；〃 he announced； 〃not by a
damned sight！〃
The explosion was so unexpected that； for an instant； while the
eyes of all were fixed in astonishment upon the speaker； there
was complete silence。 Gaylor； still suave； still polite； looked
toward Vance； and motioned him to the door。
〃Will you kindly do as I ask？〃 he said。 With Mannie at his side；
Vance walked quickly from the room。 Once in the hall； the boy
laid a detaining hand upon the arm of the older man。
〃If you'll take my advice； which you won't；〃 he said； 〃we'll all
cut and run now； while we got the chance！〃
In the library； Gaylor turned savagely upon his fellow
conspirator。
〃Well！〃 he demanded。
Rainey frowned at him sulkily。 〃I wash my hands of the whole
thing！〃 he cried。
Gaylor dropped his voice to a whisper。
〃What are you afraid of now？： he demanded。 〃If you're not afraid
of a district attorney； why are you afraid of a reporter？〃
〃I'm not afraid of anybody；〃 returned Rainey； thickly。 〃But； I
don't mean to be a party to no murder！〃 He paused； shaking his
head portentously。 〃That man in there；〃 he whispered； nodding
toward the bedroom； 〃is in no condition to go through this。
After that shock this morning； and last night it'll kill him。
His heart's rotten； I tell you； rotten！〃
Garrett snarled contemptuously。
〃How do you know？〃 he demanded。
〃How do I know？〃 returned Rainey； fiercely。 〃I was four years in
a medical college； when you were in jail； you 〃 〃Stop that！〃
cried Gaylor。 Glancing fearfully toward the open door； he
interposed between them。
〃Don't take my advice； then；〃 cried Rainey。 〃Go on！ Kill him！
And he won't sign your will。 Only； don't say I didn't tell you。〃
〃Have you told him？〃 demanded Gaylor。
〃Yes；〃 Rainey answered stoutly。 〃Told him if he didn't stop
this； he wouldn't live till morning。〃
〃Are we forcing him to do this？〃 demanded Gaylor。 〃No！ He's
forcing it on us。 My God！〃 he exclaimed； 〃do you think I want
this farce？ You say； yourself； you told him it would kill him；
and he will go on with it。 Then why do you blame us？ Can we help
ourselves？〃
The butler had distinguished the sounds of footsteps in the
hall。 He fell hastily to rearranging the camp chairs。
〃Hush！〃 he warned。 〃Look out！〃 Gaylor and Rainey had but time to
move apart； when Winthrop entered。 He regarded the three men
with a smile of understanding。
〃I beg pardon；〃 he exclaimed； 〃I am interrupting？〃
Gaylor greeted him with exaggerated heartiness。
〃Ah； it is Mr。 Winthrop！〃 he cried。 〃Have you come to help us
find out the truth this evening？〃
〃I certainly hope not！〃 said Winthrop brusquely。 〃I know the
truth about too many people already。〃 He turned to Garrett； who；
unobtrusively； was endeavoring to make his escape。
〃I want to see Miss Vera；〃 he said。
〃Miss Vera；〃 interposed Gaylor。 〃I'm afraid that's not possible。
She especially asked not to be disturbed before the seance。 I'm
sorry。〃
Winthrop's manner became suspiciously polite。
〃Yes？〃 he inquired。 〃Well； nevertheless I think I'll ask her。
Tell Miss Vera； please；〃 he said to Garrett； 〃that Mr。 Winthrop
would like a word with her here；〃 with significance he added；
〃in private。〃
In offended dignity； Judge Gaylor moved toward the door。 〃Dr。
Rainey；〃 he said stiffly； 〃will you please inform Mr。 Hallowell
that his guests are now here； and that I have gone to bring them
upstairs。〃
〃Yes； but you won't bring them upstairs； please；〃 said Winthrop；
〃until you hear from me。〃
Gaylor flushed with anger and for a moment appeared upon the
point of mutiny。 Then； as though refusing to consider himself
responsible for the manners of the younger man； he shrugged his
shoulders and left the room。
With even less of consideration than he had shown to Judge
Gaylor； Winthrop turned upon Rainey。
〃How's your patient？〃 he asked shortly。 Rainey was sufficiently
influenced by the liquor he had taken to dare to resent
Winthrop's peremptory tone。 His own in reply was designedly
offensive。
〃My patient？〃 he inquired。
〃Mr。 Hallowell；〃 snapped Winthrop； 〃he's sick； isn't he？〃
〃Oh； I don't know；〃 returned the Doctor。
〃You don't know？〃 demanded Winthrop。 〃Well； I know。 I know if he
goes through this thing tonight； he'll have another collapse。 I
saw one this morning。 Why don't you forbid it？ You're his
medical adviser； aren't you？〃
Rainey remained sullenly silent。
〃Answer me！〃 insisted the District Attorney。 〃You are； aren't
you？〃
〃I am；〃 at last declared Rainey。
〃Well； then；〃 commanded Winthrop； 〃tell him to stop this。 Tell
him I advise it。〃
Through his glasses Rainey blinked violently at the District
Attorney； and laughed。 〃I didn't know；〃 he said； 〃that you were
a medical man。〃
Winthrop looked at the Doctor so steadily； and for so long
a time； that the eyes of the young man sought the floor and the
ceiling； and his sneer changed to an expression of discomfort。
〃I am not；〃 said Winthrop。 〃I am the District Attorney of New
York。〃 His tones were cold； precise； they fell upon the
superheated brain of Dr。 Rainey like drops from an icicle。
〃When I took over that office；〃 continued Winthrop； 〃I found a
complaint against two medical students； a failure to report the
death of an old man in a private sanitarium。〃
Winthrop lowered his eyes； and became deeply absorbed in the
toe of his boot。 〃I haven't looked into the papers； yet；〃 he
said。
Rainey； swaying slightly； jerked open the door of the bedroom。
〃I'll tell him；〃 he panted thickly。 〃I'll tell him to do as you
say。〃
〃Thank you； I wish you would；〃 said Winthrop。
At the same moment； from the hall； Garrett announced； 〃Mrs。
Vance； sir。〃 And Mabel Vance； tremulous and frightened； entered
the room。
Winthrop approached her eagerly。
〃Ah！ Mrs。 Vance；〃 he exclaimed； 〃can I see Miss Vera？〃
Embarrassed and unhappy； Mrs。 Vance moved restlessly from
foot to foot； and shook her head。
〃Please； Mr。 District Attorney；〃 she begged。 〃I'm afraid not。
This afternoon upset her so。 And she's so nervous and queer
that the Professor thinks she shouldn't see nobody。〃
〃The Professor？〃 he commented。 His voice was considerate；
conciliatory。 〃Now； Mrs。 Vance；〃 he said； 〃I've known Miss
Vera ever since she was a little girl； known her longer than
you have； and； I'm her friend； and you're her friend； and 〃
〃I am；〃 protested Mabel Vance tearfully。〃Indeed I am！〃
〃I know you are；〃 Winthrop interrupted hastily。
〃You've been more than a friend to her； you've been a sister；
mother； and you don't want any trouble to come to her； do you