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traffic in the avenue below her； answered with indifference； 〃A
pen holder。〃
〃Yes； what about it？〃 snapped Vance。
〃Gold pen holder；〃 Vera answered more rapidly。 〃Much engraving
initials S。 H。 Mr。 Hallowell's initials 〃
〃There is a date too。 Can you 〃
〃December 〃 Vera hesitated。
〃Go on；〃 commanded Vance。
〃Twenty…five； one； eight； eight； six； one thousand eight hundred
and eighty…six。〃 She moved her shoulders impatiently。
〃Oh； tell him to think of something difficult；〃 she said。
From behind Mr。 Hallowell's chair Rainey signaled to Vance to
take from the table a photograph frame of silver which held the
picture of a woman。
Vance picked it up； holding it close to him。
〃What have I here； Vera？〃 he asked。
Hallowell； seeing what Vance held in his hand； leaned forward。
〃Put that down！〃 he commanded。 But Vera had already begun to
answer。
〃A picture； a picture of a young woman。 Ask him to think of who
it is and I will tell him。〃
At the words Mr。 Hallowell hesitated； frowned； and then nodded。
〃It is his sister；〃 called Vera。 〃Her name was I seem to get
a Catherine yes； that's it； Catherine Coates。 She is no
longer with us。 She passed into the spirit world three years
ago。〃 The girl turned suddenly and approached the table； holding
her head high； as though offended。
〃How do you explain that trick？〃 she demanded。
Mr。 Hallowell moved uneasily in his chair。 〃Oh； the picture's
been on my desk each time you've been here；〃 he answered
dubiously。 〃Rainey could have told you。〃
〃As a matter of fact； I didn't；〃 said Rainey。
Hallowell's eyes lightened with interest。 〃Didn't you？〃 he
asked。 He turned to Vera。 〃If you can read my mind；〃 he
challenged 〃you；〃 he added； pointing at Vance； 〃keep out of
this now tell me of what I am thinking。〃 As Vance drew back；
Rainey and himself exchanged a quick glance of apprehension； but
the girl promptly closed her eyes； and at once； in a dull；
measured tone； began to speak。
〃You were thinking you would like to ask a question of some one
in the spirit；〃 she recited。 〃But you are afraid。 You do not
trust me。 You will wait until I give you a sign； then you will
ask that question of some one dear to you； who has passed
beyond； and she will answer； and your troubles will be at an
end。〃 She opened her eyes and stared at Mr。 Hallowell like one
coming out of a dream。 〃What did I say？〃 she asked。 〃Was I
right？〃
Hallowell slank back in his chair； shaking his head。
〃Yes；〃 he began grudgingly； 〃but 〃
With an eagerness hardly concealed； Vance interrupted。
〃What is the question you wish to ask？〃 he begged。
With a frown of suspicion； Hallowell turned from him to Rainey。
〃I don't think I ought to let them know；〃 he questioned； 〃do
you？〃 But his attention was sharply diverted。
Vera； in a hushed and solemn voice； called for silence。
〃My control；〃 she explained her tone was deep and awestruck
〃is trying to communicate with me。〃
Vance gave an exclamation of concern。 The prospect of the
phenomena Vera promised seemed to fill him with delightful
expectations。 〃Be very quiet；〃 he cautioned； 〃do not disturb
her。〃
Deeply impressed； Mr。 Hallowell struggled from his chair。
Unaided； he moved to below the table and leaning against it
looked； with unwilling but fascinated interest； at Vera's
uplifted face。
〃Some one in the spirit；〃 Vera chanted； in an unemotional；
drugged voice； 〃wishes to speak to Mr。 Hallowell。 Give me your
hand。〃
〃Quick！〃 directed Vance； 〃give her your hand。 Take her hand。〃
〃Yes； he is here；〃 Vera continued。 〃A woman has a message for
you； she is standing close beside you。 She is holding out her
arms。 And she is trying； so hard； to tell you something。 What is
it？〃 the girl questioned。 〃Oh； what is it？ Tell me；〃 she begged。
〃Can't you tell me？〃
Hallowell eyed her greedily； waiting almost without breathing
for her words。 The hand with which he held hers crushed her
rings into her fingers。
〃What sort？〃 whispered the old man。 〃What sort of a woman？〃
With eyes still closed； swaying slightly and with abrupt
shudders running down her body； the girl continued in dull；
fateful tones。
〃She is a fair woman； about forty…five。 She is speaking。 She
calls to you； Brother； brother。〃 Vera's voice rose excitedly。
〃It is the woman in the picture； your sister！ Catherine！ I see
it written above her head Catherine。 In letters of light。〃
She turned suddenly and fiercely。 〃Ask her your question！〃 she
commanded。 〃Ask her your question； now！〃
By the sudden swaying forward of Vance and Rainey； in the intent
look in their eyes； it was evident that a crisis had approached。
But Mr。 Hallowell； terrified and trembling； shrank back。 His
voice broke hysterically。 〃No； no！〃 he pleaded。 Both anger and
disappointment showed in the face of Vance and Rainey； but the
girl； as though detached from any human concerns； continued
unmoved。 〃I see another figure；〃 she recited。 〃A young girl； but
she is of this world。 I seem to get an H。 Yes。 Helen； in letters
of fire。〃
〃My niece； Helen！〃 Hallowell whispered hoarsely。
〃Yes； your niece；〃 chanted the girl。 Her voice rose and
thrilled。 〃And I see much gold；〃 she cried。 〃Between the two
women； heaps of gold。 Everywhere I look I see gold。 And； now；
the other woman； your sister； is trying to speak to you。 Listen！
She calls to you； Brother！〃
So centered was the interest of those in the room； so compelling
the sound of the girl's voice； that； unnoticed； the sliding
doors to the library were slipped apart。 Unobserved； Judge
Gaylor and Winthrop halted in the doorway。 To the Judge the
meaning of the scene was instantly apparent。 His face flushed
furiously。 Winthrop； uncomprehending； gazed unconcerned over
Gaylor's shoulder。 The voice of Vera rose hysterically to her
climax。
〃She bids me tell you；〃 Vera cried； 〃 Tell my brother 〃
Gaylor swept toward her。
〃What damned farce is this？〃 he shouted。
The effect of the interruption was instant and startling。 Mr。
Hallowell； who； in the last few minutes； had believed he was
listening to a voice from the dead； collapsed upon the shoulder
of Rainey； who sprang to support him。 Like a somnambulist
wrenched from sleep； Vera gave a scream of fright； half genuine；
half assumed； and swayed as though about to fall。 Vance caught
her in his arms。 He turned on Gaylor； his cunning red eyes
flashing evilly。
〃You brute！〃 he cried； 〃you might have killed her。〃
Between her sobs； Vera； her head upon the shoulder of Vance；
whispered a question。 As quickly； under cover of muttered
sympathy； Vance answered： 〃Gaylor。 The Judge。〃
Still slightly swaying； Vera stood upright。 She passed her hand
vaguely before her eyes。 〃Where am I？〃 she asked feebly。 〃Where
am I？〃
Gaylor shook his fist at the girl。
〃You know where you are！〃 he thundered； 〃and you know where
you're going you're going to jail！〃
In the hush that followed Vera drew herself to her full height。
She regarded Gaylor wonderingly； haughtily； as though he were
some drunken intruder from the street。
〃Are you speaking to me？〃 she asked。
〃Yes； to you；〃 shouted the lawyer。 〃You're an imposter； and a
swindler； and and 〃
Winthrop pushed between them。
〃Yes； and she's a woman；〃 he said briskly。 〃If you want a row；
talk to the man。〃
To this point the scene had brought to Vera no emotion save the
excitement that is felt by the one who is struggling to escape。
The appearance of a champion added a new interest。 Through no
fault of her own； she had learned by experience that to the one
man who annoyed her there always were six to spring to her
protection。 So the glance she covertly turned upon Winthrop was
one less of gratitude than curiosity。
But at the first sight of him the girl started； her eyes lit
with recognition； her face flushed。 And then； although the man
was in no way regarding her； her eyes filled； and in
mortification and dismay she blushed crimson。
His anger still unsatisfied； Gaylor turned upon Vance。
〃And you；〃 he cried； 〃you're going to jail too。 I'll drive 〃
The voice of Mr。 Hallowell； shaken with pain and distress； rose
feebly； beseechingly。 〃Henry！〃 he begged。 〃I can't stand it！〃
〃Judge Gaylor！〃 thundered Rainey； 〃I won't be responsible if you
keep this up。〃
With an exclamation of remorse； Vera ran to the side of the old
man。 With Rainey on his other hand； she raised him upright upon
his feet。
〃Lean on me；〃 begged the girl breathlessly。 〃I'm very strong。
Lean on me。〃
Mr。 Hallowell shook his head。 〃No； child；〃 he protested； 〃not
you。〃 He turned to his old friend。 〃You help me； Henry；〃 he
begged。
With the authority of the medical man； Rainey waved Vance into
the bedroom。 〃Close those windows；〃 he ordered。 〃You help me！〃
he commanded of Gaylor。 〃Put your arm under him。〃
Mr。 Hallowell； protesting feebly and leaning heavily upon the
two men； stumbled into the bedroom ； and the door was shut
behind him。
For a moment the girl and the man stood in silence； and then； as
though suddenly conscious of her presence； Winthrop turned and
smiled。
The girl did not answer his smile。 From under the shadow of the
picture hat and the ostrich feathers her eyes rega