vera, the medium-第10章

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her　husband　and　of　herself；　the　preoccupied　manner　with　which
Vera　received　them　did　not　provoke　in　Mabel　any　resentment。　It
rather　increased　her　approbation。　Although　horrified　at　the
recklessness　of　the　girl；　she　had　approved　even　when　Vera
rejected　an　offer　of　marriage　from　a　wine　agent。

Secretly；　for　a　proper　alliance　for　her；　Mabel　read　the　society
columns　in　search　of　eligible；　rich　young　men。　Finding　that　they
invariably　married　eligible；　rich　young　women；　she　had　lately
determined　that　Vera's　destiny　must　be　an　English　duke。

Still　if；　as　she　hoped；　Vera　had　chosen　for　herself；　Mabel　felt
assured　that　the　man　would　prove　worthy；　and　a　good　match。　A
good　match　meant　one　who　owned　not　only　a　runabout；　but　a
touring　car。

〃It's　a　man　from　home；〃　said　Vera。　〃Home？〃　queried　Mannie。

〃From　up　the　State；〃　explained　Vera；　〃from　Geneva。　It's　　Mr。
Winthrop。〃

With　an　exclamation　of　alarm；　Mannie　started　upright。
〃Winthrop！〃　he　cried；　then　with　a　laugh　of　relief　he　sank　back。
〃Gee！　You　give　me　a　scare；〃　he　cried。　〃I　thought　you　meant　the
District　Attorney。〃

Mabel　laughed　sympathetically。

〃I　thought　so　too；〃　she　admitted。

〃I　do　mean　the　District　Attorney；〃　said　the　girl。

〃Vera！〃　cried　Mabel。

〃Winthrop　　coming　here？〃　demanded　Mannie。

〃I　met　him　at　Mr。　Hallowell's　this　morning；〃　said　Vera。　〃Didn't
Paul　tell　you？〃

〃Paul　ain't　back　yet；〃　said　Mannie。　〃I　wish　he　was！〃　His　lower
jaw　dropped　in　dazed　bewilderment。　〃Winthrop　　coming　here？〃　he
repeated。　〃And　they're　all　coming　here！〃　he　exclaimed　excitedly。
〃Paul　just　phoned　me。　They've　taken　Gaylor　in　with　them；　and
we're　all　working　together　now　on　some　game　for　tonight。　And
Winthrop's　coming　here！〃　He　shook　his　head　decidedly；
importantly。　As　the　only　man　of　the　family　present；　he　felt　he
must　meet　this　crisis。　〃Paul　won't　stand　for　it！〃　he　declared。

〃Well；　Paul　will　just　have　to　stand　for　it！〃　retorted　Mrs。
Vance。

With　a　murmur　of　sympathy　she　crossed　to　Vera。　〃I'm　not　going　to
see　our　Vera　disappointed；〃　she　announced。　〃She　never　sees　no
company。　Vera；　if　Mr。　Winthrop　comes　when　that　bunch　is　here；
I'll　show　him　into　the　front　parlor。〃

Vera　sat　down　in　front　of　the　piano　and　let　her　fingers　drop
upon　the　keys。　The　look　of　eagerness　and　anticipation　had　left
her　eyes。

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　want　to　see　him　　now。〃

With　complete　misunderstanding；　Mannie　demanded　truculently；
〃Why　not？〃　His　loyalty　to　Vera　gave　him　courage；　in　her　behalf；
to　face　even　a　District　Attorney。　〃He　doesn't　think　he's　coming
here　to　make　trouble　for　you；　does　he？〃

Vera　shook　her　head　and；　bending　over　the　piano；　struck　a　few
detached　chords。

〃Oh；　no；〃　she　said　consciously；　〃just　to　see　me　
professionally　　like　everybody　else。〃

Mabel　could　no　longer　withhold　her　indignation　at　the　obtuseness
of　the　masculine　intellect。

〃My　gracious；　Mannie！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃can't　you　understand　he's
coming　here　to　make　a　call　on　Vera　　like　a　gentleman　　not
like　no　District　Attorney。〃

Mannie　precipitately　retreated　from　his　position　as　champion。

〃Sure；　I　understand；〃　he　protested。

With　the　joy　that　a　match…making　mother　takes　in　the　hunt；　Mabel
sank　into　the　plush　rocking　chair　and；　rocking　violently；　turned
upon　Vera　an　eager　and　excited　smile。

〃Think　of　our　Vera　knowing　Mr。　Winthrop　socially？〃　she
exclaimed。　〃It's　grand！　And　they　say　his　sisters　are　elegant
ladies。　Last　winter　I　read　about　them　at　the　opera；　and　it
always　printed　what　they　had　on。　Why　didn't　you　tell　me　you
knowed　him；　Vera？〃　she　cried　reproachfully。　〃I　tell　you
everything！〃

〃I　don't　know　him；〃　protested　the　girl。　〃I　used　to　see　him　when
he　lived　in　the　same　town。〃

Mabel；　inviting　further　confidences；　ceased　rocking　and　nodded
encouragingly。　〃Up　in　Geneva？〃　she　prompted。

〃Yes；〃　said　Vera；　〃I　used　to　see　him　every　afternoon　then；　when
he　played　ball　on　the　college　nine　　〃

〃Who？〃　demanded　Mannie　incredulously。

〃Winthrop；〃　said　Vera。

〃Did　he？〃　exclaimed　Mannie。　His　tone　suggested　that　he　might
still　be　persuaded　that　there　was　good　in　the　man。

〃What'd　he　play？〃　he　demanded　suspiciously。

〃First；〃　said　Vera。

〃Did　he！〃　exclaimed　Mannie。　His　tone　now　was　of　open
approbation。

Vera　had　raised　her　eyes　and　turned　them　toward　the　windows。
Beyond　the　soot…　stained　sumach　tree；　the　fire　escapes　of　the
department　store；　she　saw　the　sun…　drenched　campus；　the
buttressed　chapel；　the　ancient；　drooping　elms；　and　on　a　canvas
bag；　poised　like　a　winged　Mercury；　a　tall　straight　figure　in
gray；　dusty　flannels。

〃He　was　awfully　good…looking；〃　murmured　the　girl；　〃and　awfully
tall。　He　could　stop　a　ball　as　high　as　　that！〃　She　raised　her
arm　in　the　air；　and　then；　suddenly　conscious；　flushed；　and
turned　to　the　piano。

〃Go　on；　tell　us；〃　urged　Mabel。　〃So　you　first　met　him　in　Geneva；
did　you？〃

〃No；〃　corrected　Vera；　〃saw　him　there。　I　　only　met　him　once。〃

Mannie　interrupted　hilariously。

〃I　only　saw　him　once；　too；〃　he　cried；　〃that　was　enough　for　me。〃

Vera　swiftly　spun　the　piano　stool　so　that　she　faced　him。　Her
eyes　were　filled　with　concern。

〃You；　Mannie！〃　she　demanded　anxiously。　〃What　had　you　done？〃

〃Done！〃　exclaimed　Mannie　indignantly；　〃nothing！　What'd　you　think
I'd　done？　Did　you　think　I　was　a　crook？〃

Vera　bowed　her　shoulders　and　shivered　as　though　the　boy　had
cursed　at　her。　She　shook　her　head　vehemently　and　again　swung
back　to　the　piano。　Stumbling　awkwardly；　her　fingers　ran　over　the
keys　in　a　swift　clatter　of　broken　chords。　〃No；〃　she　whispered；
〃no；　Mannie；　no。〃

With　a　laugh　of　delighted　recollection；　Mannie　turned　to　Mabel。

〃He　raided　a　poolroom　I　was　working　at；〃　he　explained。　〃He
picked　me　out　as　a　sheet　writer　because　I　had　my　coat　off；　see？
I　told　him　I　had　it　off　because　it　was　too　hot　for　me；　and　he
says；　Young　man；　if　you　lie　to　me；　I'll　make　I　a　damn　sight
hotter！〃　Mannie　threw　back　his　head　and　shouted　uproariously。
〃He's　all　right；　Winthrop！〃　he　declared。

Mabel；　having　already　married　Winthrop　to　Vera　in　Grace　Church；
with　herself　in　the　front　pew；　in　a　blue　silk　dress；　received
this　unexpected　evidence　of　his　rare　wit　with　delight。　In
ecstasy　of　appreciation　she　slapped　her　knees。

〃Did　he　say　that；　Mannie？〃　she　cried。　〃Wasn't　that　quick　of　him！
Did　you　hear　what　he　said　to　Mannie；　Vera？〃　she　demanded。

Their　mirth　was　interrupted　by　the　opening　and　closing　of　the
front　door　and；　in　the　hall；　the　murmur　of　men's　voices。

Vance　opened　the　door　from　the　hall　and　entered；　followed　by
Judge　Gaylor　and　Rainey。　With　evident　pride　in　her　appearance；
Vance　introduced　the　two　men　to　his　wife；　and　then　sent　her　and
Mannie　from　the　room　　the　latter　with　orders　to　dismiss　the
visitors　in　the　front　parlor　and　to　admit　no　others。

At　the　door　Mrs。　Vance　turned　to　Vera　and　nodded　mysteriously。

〃If　that　party　calls；〃　she　said　with　significance；　〃I'll　put　him
in　the　front　parlor。〃　With　a　look　of　dismay；　Vera　vehemently
shook　her　head　but；　to　forestall　any　opposition；　Mrs。　Vance
hastily　slammed　the　door　behind　her。

In　his　most　courteous　manner　Judge　Gaylor　offered　the　chair　at
the　head　of　the　centre　table　to　Vera；　and　at　the　same　table
seated　himself。　Vance　took　a　place　on　the　piano　stool；　Rainey
stood　with　his　back　to　the　mantel　piece。

〃Miss　Vera；〃　Gaylor　began　impressively；　〃I　desire　to　apologize
for　my　language　this　morning。　As　Rainey　no　doubt　has　told　you；　I
have　opposed　you　and　Professor　Vance。　But　I　　I　know　when　I'm
beaten。　Your　influence　with　Mr。　Hallowell　today　　is　greater
than　mine。　It　is　paramount。　I　congratulate　you。〃　He　smiled
ingratiatingly。　〃And　now；〃　he　added；　〃we　are　all　working　in
unison。〃

〃You've　given　up　your　idea　of　sending　me　to　jail；〃　said　Vera。

〃Vera！〃　exclaimed　Vance　reprovingly。　Judge　Gaylor　has
apologized。　We're　all　in　harmony　now。〃

〃Is　that　door　locked？〃　asked　Gaylor。　Vance　told　him；　save　Mrs。
Vance；　Mannie；　and　themselves；　there　was　none　in　the　house；　and
that　he　might　speak　freely。

〃Miss　Vera；〃　began　the　Judge；　〃we　left　Mr。　Hallowell　very　much
impressed　with　the　message　you　gave　him　this　morning。　The
message　from　his　dead　sister。　He　wants　another　message　from　her。
He　wants　her　to　decide　how　he　shall　dispose　of　a