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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
〃Mannie〃 Day； who admitted visitors； and later； in the hall；
searched their hats and umbrellas for initials； came on the run
and threw the infatuated one out upon a cold and unfeeling
sidewalk。
So Vera had seen both the seamy side of life and； in the drawing
rooms where Vance and she exhibited their mind reading tricks；
had been made much of by great ladies and； for an hour as brief
as Cinderella's； had looked upon a world of kind and well…bred
people。 Since she was fourteen； for seven years； this had been
her life a life as open to the public as the life of an
actress； as easy of access as that of the stenographer in the
hotel lobby。 As a result； the girl had encased herself in a
defensive armor of hardness and distrust； a protection which was
rendered futile by the loveliness of her face； by the softness
of her voice； by the deep； brooding eyes； and the fine forehead
on which； like a crown； rested the black waves of her hair。
In her work Vera accepted； without question； the parts to which
Vance assigned her。 When in their mummeries they were
successful； she neither enjoyed the credulity of those they had
tricked nor was sobered with remorse。 In the world Vance found a
certain number of people with money who demanded to be fooled。
It was his business and hers to meet that demand。 If ever the
conscience of either stirred restlessly； Vance soothed it by the
easy answer that if they did not take the money some one else
would。 It was all in the day's work。 It was her profession。
As she entered the library of Mr。 Hallowell； which； with Vance；
she already had visited several times； she looked like a child
masquerading in her mother's finery。 She suggested an ingenue
who had been suddenly sent on in the role of the Russian
adventuress。 Her slight girl's figure was draped in black lace。
Her face was shaded by a large picture hat； heavy with drooping
ostrich feathers； around her shoulders was a necklace of jade；
and on her wrists many bracelets of silver gilt。 When she moved
they rattled。 As the girl advanced； smiling； to greet Mr。
Hallowell； she suddenly stopped； shivered slightly； and threw
her right arm across her eyes。 Her left arm she stretched over
the table。
〃Give me your hand！〃 she commanded。 Dubiously； with a watchful
glance at Vance； Mr。 Hallowell leaned forward and took her hand。
〃You have been ill；〃 cried the girl； 〃very ill I see you I
see you in a kind of faint very lately。〃 Her voice rose
excitedly。 〃Yes； last night。〃
Mr。 Hallowell protested with indignation。 〃You read that in the
morning paper；〃 he said。
Vera lowered her arm from her eyes and turned them reproachfully
on him。
〃I don't read the Despatch；〃 she answered。
Mr。 Hallowell drew back suspiciously。 〃I didn't say it was the
Despatch；〃 he returned。
Vance quickly interposed。 〃You don't have to say it；〃 he
explained with glibness； 〃you thought it。 And Vera read your
thoughts。 You were thinking of the Despatch； weren't you？ Well；
there you are！ It's wonderful！〃
〃Wonderful？ Nonsense！〃 mocked Mr。 Hallowell。 〃She did read it in
the paper or Rainey told her。〃
The girl shrugged her shoulders patiently。 〃If you would rather
find out you were ill from the newspapers than from the spirit
world；〃 she inquired； 〃why do you ask me here？〃
〃I ask you here； young woman；〃 exclaimed Hallowell； sinking back
in his chair； 〃because I hoped you would tell me something I
can't learn from the newspapers。 But you haven't been able to do
it yet。 My dear young lady；〃 exclaimed the old man wistfully； 〃I
want to believe； but I must be convinced。 No tricks with me！ I
can explain how you might have found out everything you have
told me。 Give me a sign！〃 He beat the flat of his hand upon the
table。 〃Show me something I can't explain！〃
〃Mr。 Hallowell is quite right； Vera；〃 said Vance。 〃He is
entering what is to him a new world； full of mysteries； and that
caution which in this world has made him so successful 〃
With an exclamation； Hallowell cut short the patter of the
showman。
〃Yes； yes；〃 he interrupted petulantly； 〃I tell you； I want to
believe。 Convince me。〃
Considering the situation with pursed lips and thoughtful eyes；
Vera gazed at the old man； frowning。 Finally she asked； 〃Have
you witnessed out demonstrations of mind reading？〃
Mr。 Hallowell snorted。 〃Certainly not；〃 he replied； 〃it's a
trick！〃
〃A trick！〃 cried the girl indignantly； 〃to read a man's mind
to see right through your forehead； through your skull； into
your brain？ Is that a trick？〃 She turned sharply to Vance。 〃Show
him！〃 she commanded； 〃show him！〃 She crossed rapidly to the
window and stood looking down into the street； with her back to
the room。
Vance； with his back turned to Vera； stood close to the table；
on the other side of which Hallowell was reclining in his arm
chair。 Vance picked up a pen holder。
〃Think of what I have in my hand； please；〃 he said。 〃What is
this； Vera？〃 he asked。 The girl； gazing from the window at the
traffic in the avenue below her； answered with indifference； 〃A
pen hold