vera, the medium-第12章

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〃My　God；　man！〃　he　cried；　〃we're　not　trying　to　persuade　the
District　Attorney　that　he's　seen　a　ghost。　If　your　friends　can
persuade　Stephen　Hallowell　that　he's　seen　one；　the　District
Attorney　can　go　to　the　devil！〃

〃Well；　he　won't！〃　returned　Rainey；　〃he'll　go　to　law！〃

〃Let　him！〃　cried　Gaylor　defiantly。　〃Get　Hallowell　to　sign　that
will；　and　I'll　go　into　court　with　him。〃

His　bravado　was　suddenly　attacked　from　an　unexpected　source。

〃You'll　go　into　court　with　him；　all　right；〃　declared　Mrs。　Vance；
〃all　of　you！　And　if　you　don't　want　him　to　catch　you；〃　she　cried；
〃you'll　clear　out；　now！　He's　coming　here　any　minute。〃

〃Who's　coming　here？〃　demanded　her　husband。

〃Winthrop；〃　returned　his　wife；　〃to　see　Vera。〃

〃To　see　Vera！〃　cried　Vance　eagerly。　〃What　about？　About　this
morning？〃

〃No；〃　protested　Mabel；　〃to　call　on　her。　He's　an　old　friend　　〃

In　alarm　Rainey　pushed　into　the　group　of　now　thoroughly　excited
people。　〃Don't　you　believe　it！〃　he　cried。　〃If　he's　coming　here；
he's　coming　to　give　her　the　third　degree　　〃

The　door　from　the　hall　suddenly　opened；　was　as　suddenly　closed；
and　Mannie　slipped　into　the　room。　One　hand　he　held　up　for
silence；　with　the　other　he　pointed　at　the　folding　doors。

〃Hush！〃　he　warned　them。　〃He's　in　there！　He　says　he's　come　to
call　on　Vera。　She　says　he's　come　professionally；　and　I　must
bring　him　in　here。　I've　shut　the　door　into　the　parlor；　and　you
can　slip　upstairs　without　his　seeing　you。〃

〃Upstairs！〃　gasped　Rainey；　〃not　for　me！〃　He　appealed　to　Gaylor
in　accents　of　real　alarm。　〃We　must　get　away　from　this　house；〃　he
declared。　〃If　he　finds　us　here　　〃　With　a　gesture　of　dismay　he
tossed　his　hands　in　the　air。　Gaylor　nodded。　In　silence　all；　save
Mannie；　moved　into　the　hall；　and　halted　between　the　outer　and
inner　doors　of　the　vestibule。　Gaylor　turned　to　Vance。　〃Are　you
going　to　tell　her；〃　he　asked；　〃that　he　is　to　be　there　tonight？〃

〃He'll　tell　her　himself；　now！〃

〃No；〃　corrected　Rainey；　〃he　doesn't　know　yet　there's　to　be　a
seance。　Hallowell　was　writing　the　note　when　he　left。〃

〃Then；〃　instructed　Gaylor；　〃do　not　let　her　know　until　she
arrives　　until　it　will　be　too　late　for　her　to　back　out。〃

Vance　nodded　and；　waiting　until　from　the　back　room　he　heard　the
voices　of　Mannie　and　Winthrop；　he　opened　the　front　door　and　the
two　men　ran　down　the　steps　into　the　street。

While　the　conspirators　were　hidden　in　the　vestibule；　Mannie　had
opened　the　folding　doors；　and　invited　Winthrop　to　enter　the
reception　parlor。

〃Miss　Vera　will　be　down　in　a　minute；〃　he　said。　〃If　you　want　your
hand　read；〃　he　added；　pointing；　〃you　sit　over　there。〃

As　Winthrop　approached　the　centre　table；　Mannie　backed　against
the　piano。　The　presence　of　the　District　Attorney　at　such　short
range　aroused　in　him　many　emotions。　Alternately　he　was　torn　with
alarm；　with　admiration；　with　curiosity。　He　regarded　him
apprehensively；　with　a　nervous　and　unhappy　smile。

About　the　smile　there　was　something　that　Winthrop　found
familiar；　and；　with　one　almost　as　attractive；　he　answered　it。

〃I　think　we've　met　before；　haven't　we？〃　he　asked　pleasantly。

Mannie　nodded。　〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　answered　promptly。　〃At　Sam
Hepner's　old　place；　on　West　Forty…fourth　street。〃

〃Why；　of　course！〃　exclaimed　the　District　Attorney。

〃Don't　you　　don't　you　remember？〃　stammered　Mannie　eagerly。　He
was　deeply　concerned　lest　the　distinguished　cross…examiner
should　think；　that　from　him　of　his　lurid　past　he　could　withhold
anything。　〃I　had　my　coat　off　　and　you　said　you'd　make　it　hot
for　me。〃

〃Did　I？〃　asked　Winthrop　with　an　effort　at　recollection。

〃No；　you　didn't！〃　Mannie　hastened　to　reassure　him。　〃I　mean；　you
didn't　make　it　hot　for　me。〃

Winthrop　laughed；　and　seated　himself　comfortably　beside　the
centre　table。　Well　I'm　glad　of　that；〃　he　said。　〃So　our　relations
are　still　pleasant；　then？〃　he　asked。

〃Sure！〃　exclaimed　Mannie　heartily。　〃I　mean　　yes；　sir。〃

Winthrop　mechanically　reached　for　his　cigarette　case；　and　then；
recollecting；　withdrew　his　hand。

〃And　how　are　the　ponies　running？'　he　asked。

The　interview　was　filling　Mannie　with　excitement　and　delight。　He
chuckled　with　pleasure。　His　fear　of　the　great　man　was　rapidly
departing。　Could　this；　he　asked　himself；　be　the　〃terror　to　evil…
doers；〃　the　man　whose　cruel　questions　drove　witnesses　to　tears；
whose　〃third　degree〃　sent　veterans　of　the　underworld　staggering
from　his　confessional　box；　limp　and　gasping？

〃Oh；　pretty　well；〃　said　the　boy；　〃seems　as　if　I　couldn't　keep
away　from　them。　I　got　a　good　thing　for　today　　Pompadour　　in
the　fifth。　I　put　all　the　money　on　her　I　could　get　together；〃　he
announced　importantly；　and　then　added　frankly；　with　a　laugh；
〃two　dollars！〃　The　laugh　was　contagious；　and　the　District
Attorney　laughed　with　him。

〃Pompadour；〃　Winthrop　objected；　〃she's　one　of　those　winter　track
favorites。〃

〃I　know；　but　today；〃　declared　Mannie；　〃she　win；　sure！〃　Carried
away　by　his　enthusiasm；　and　by　the　sympathy　of　his　audience；　he
rushed；　unheeding；　to　his　fate。　〃If　you'd　like　to　put　a　little
on；〃　he　said；　〃I　can　tell　you　where　you　can　do　it。〃

The　District　Attorney　stared　and　laughed。　〃You　mustn't　tell　me
where　you　can　do　it；〃　he　said。

Mannie　gave　a　terrified　gasp　and；　for　an　instant；　clapped　his
hands　over　his　lips。　〃That's　right；〃　he　cried。　〃Gee；　that's
right！　I'm　such　a　crank　on　all　kinds　of　sport　that　I　clean
forgot！〃

He　gazed　at　the　much…dreaded　District　Attorney　with　the　awe　of
the　new…born　hero…worshipper。　〃I　guess　you　are；　too；　hey？〃　he
protested　admiringly。　〃Vera　was　telling　me　you　used　to　be　a
great　ball　tosser。〃

In　the　face　of　the　District　Attorney　there　came　a　sudden
interest。　His　eyes　lightened。

〃How　did　she　　〃

〃She　used　to　watch　you　in　Geneva；〃　said　Mannie；　〃playing　with
the　college　lads。　I　　I；〃　he　added　consciously；　〃was　a　ball
player　myself　once。　Used　to　pitch　for　the　Interstate　League。〃　He
stopped　abruptly。

〃Interstate？〃　said　Winthrop　encouragingly。　〃You　must　have　been
good。〃

The　enthusiasm　had　departed　from　the　face　of　the　boy。　〃Yes；　he
said；　〃but　　〃　he　smiled　shamefacedly；　〃but　I　got　taking　coke；
and　they　　〃　He　finished　with　a　dramatic　gesture　of　the　hand　as
of　a　man　tossing　away　a　cigarette。

〃Cocaine？〃　said　the　District　Attorney。

The　boy　nodded　and；　for　an　instant；　the　two　men　eyed　each　other；
the　boy　smiling　ruefully。　The　District　Attorney　shook　his　head。
〃My　young　friend；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　never　beat　that　game！〃

Mannie　stared　at　him；　his　eyes　filled　with　surprise。

〃Don't　you　suppose；〃　he　said　simply；　〃that　I　know　that　better
than　you　do？〃　With　a　boy's　pride　in　his　own　incorrigibility　he
went　on　boastingly：　〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　used　to　be　awful　bad！
Cocaine　and　all　kinds　of　dope；　and　cigarettes；　and　whiskey。　I
was　nearly　all　in　　with　morphine；　it　was　then　　till　she　took
hold　of　me；　and　stopped　me。〃

〃She？〃　said　Winthrop。

〃Vera；〃　said　Mannie。　〃She　made　me　stop。　I　had　to　stop。　She
started　taking　it　herself。〃

〃What！〃　cried　Winthrop。

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Mannie　hastily；　〃I　don't　mean　what　you　mean　　I
mean　she　started　taking　it　to　make　me　stop。　She　says　to　me；
Mannie；　you're　killing　yourself；　and　you　got　to　quit　it；　and　if
you　don't；　every　time　you　take　a　grain；　I'll　take　two。　And　she
did！　I'd　come　home；　and　she'd　see　what　I'd　been　doing；　and　she'd
up　with　her　sleeves；　and　　〃　In　horrible　pantomime；　the　boy
lifted　the　cuff　of　his　shirt；　and　pressed　his　right　thumb
against　the　wrist　of　his　other　arm。　At　the　memory　of　it；　he　gave
a　shiver　and；　with　a　blow；　roughly　struck　the　cuff　into　place。
〃God！〃　he　muttered；　〃I　couldn't　stand　it。　I　begged；　and　begged
her　not。　I　cried。　I　used　to　get　down；　in　this　room；　on　my　knees。
And　each　time　she'd　get　whiter；　and　black　under　the　eyes。　And　
and　I　had　to　stop。　Didn't　I？〃

Winthrop　moved　his　head。

〃And　now；〃　cried　the　boy　with　a　happy　laugh；　〃I'm　all　right！〃　He
appealed　to　the　older　man　eagerly；　wistfully。　〃Don't　you　think
I'm　looking　better　than　I　did　the　last　time　you　saw　me？〃

Again；　without　venturing　to　speak；　Winthrop　nodded。

Mannie　smiled　with　pride。　〃Everybody　tells　me　so；〃　he　said。
〃Well；　she　did　it。　That's　what　she　did　for　me。　And；　I　can　tell
you；〃　he　said　simply；　sincerely；　〃there　ain't　anything　I
wou