vera, the medium-第13章

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you；〃　he　said　simply；　sincerely；　〃there　ain't　anything　I
wouldn't　do　for　her。　I　guess　that's　right；　hey？〃　he　added。

The　eyes　of　the　cruel　cross…examiner；　veiled　under　half…closed
lids；　were　regarding　the　boy　with　so　curious　an　expression　that
under　their　scrutiny　Mannie；　in　embarrassment；　moved　uneasily。
〃I　guess　that's　right；〃　he　repeated。

To　his　surprise；　the　District　Attorney　rose　from　his　comfortable
position　and；　leaning　across　the　table；　held　out　his　hand。
Mannie　took　it　awkwardly。

〃That's　all　right；〃　he　said。

〃Sure；　it's　all　right；〃　said　the　District　Attorney。

From　the　hall　there　was　the　sound　of　light；　quick　steps；　and
Mannie；　happy　to　escape　from　a　situation　he　did　not　understand；
ran　to　the　door。

〃She's　coming；〃　he　said。　He　opened　the　door　and；　as　Vera
entered；　he　slipped　past　her　and　closed　it　behind　him。

Vera　walked　directly　to　the　chair　at　the　top　of　the　centre
table。　She　was　nervous；　and　she　was　conscious　that　that　fact　was
evident。　To　avoid　shaking　hands　with　her　visitor；　she　carried
her　own　clasped　in　front　of　her；　with　the　fingers　interlaced。
She　tried　to　speak　in　her　usual　suave；　professional　tone。　〃How
do　you　do？〃　she　said。

But　Winthrop　would　not　be　denied。　With　a　smile　that　showed　his
pleasure　at　again　seeing　her；　he　advanced　eagerly；　with　his　hand
outstretched。　〃How　are　you？〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Aren't　you　going　to
shake　hands　with　me？〃　he　demanded。　〃With　an　old　friend？〃

Vera　gave　him　her　hand　quickly；　and　then；　seating　herself　at　the
table；　picked　up　the　ivory　pointer。

〃I　didn't　know　you　were　coming　as　an　old　friend；〃　she　murmured
embarrassedly。　〃You　said　you　were　coming　to　consult　Vera；　the
medium。〃

〃But　you　said　that　was　the　only　way　I　could　come；〃　protested
Winthrop。　〃Don't　you　remember；　you　said　　〃

Vera　interrupted　him。　She　spoke　distantly；　formally。　〃What　kind
of　a　reading　do　you　want？〃　she　asked。　〃A　hand　reading；　or　a
crystal　reading？〃

Winthrop　leaned　forward　in　his　chair；　frankly　smiling　at　her。　He
made　no　attempt　to　conceal　the　pleasure　the　sight　of　her　gave
him。　His　manner　was　that　of　a　very　old　and　dear　friend；　who；　for
the　first　time；　had　met　her　after　a　separation　of　years。

〃Don't　want　any　kind　of　a　reading；〃　he　declared。　〃I　want　a
talking。　You　don't　seem　to　understand；〃　he　objected；　〃that　I　am
making　an　afternoon　call。〃　His　good　humor　was　unassailable。
Looking　up　with　a　perplexed　frown；　Vera　met　his　eyes　and　saw
that　he　was　laughing　at　her。　She　threw　the　ivory　pointer　down
and；　leaning　back　in　her　chair；　smiled　at　him。

〃I　don't　believe；〃　she　said　doubtfully；　〃that　I　know　much　about
afternoon　calls。　What　would　I　do；　if　we　were　on　Fifth　Avenue？
Would　I　give　you　tea？〃　she　asked；　〃because；〃　she　added　hastily；
〃there　isn't　any　tea。〃

〃In　that　case；　it　is　not　etiquette　to　offer　any；〃　said　Winthrop
gravely。

〃Then；〃　said　Vera；　〃I'm　doing　it　right；　so　far？〃

They　both　laughed；　Vera　because　she　still　was　in　awe　of　him；　and
Winthrop　because　he　was　happy。

〃You're　doing　it　charmingly；〃　Winthrop　assured　her。

〃Good！〃　exclaimed　Vera。　〃Well；　now；〃　she　inquired；　〃now　we　talk；
don't　we？〃

〃Yes；〃　assented　Winthrop　promptly；　〃we　talk　about　you。〃

〃No；　I　　I　don't　think　we　do；〃　declared　Vera；　in　haste。　〃I
think　we　talk　about　　Geneva。〃　She　turned　to　him　with　real
interest。　〃Is　the　town　much　changed？〃　she　asked。

As　though　preparing　for　a　long　talk；　Winthrop　dropped　his　hat　to
the　floor　and　settled　himself　comfortably。　〃Well；　it　is；　and　it
isn't；〃　he　answered。　〃Haven't　you　been　back　lately？〃　he　asked。
Vera　looked　quickly　away　from　him。

〃I　have　never　been　back！〃　she　answered。　There　was　a　pause　and
when　she　again　turned　her　eyes　to　his；　she　was　smiling。　〃But　I
always　take　the　Geneva　Times；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　often　read　that
you've　been　there。　You're　a　great　man　in　Geneva。〃

Winthrop　nodded　gravely。

〃Whenever　I　want　to　be　a　great　man；〃　he　said；　〃I　go　to　Geneva。〃

〃Why；　yes；〃　exclaimed　Vera。　〃Last　June　you　delivered　the　oration
to　the　graduating　class；〃　she　laughed；　〃on　The　College　Man　in
Politics。　Such　an　original　subject！　And　did　you　point　to
yourself？〃　she　asked　mockingly；　〃as　the　　the　bright　example？〃

〃No；〃　protested　Winthrop；　〃I　knew　they'd　see　that。〃

Much　to　her　relief；　Vera　found　that　of　Winthrop　she　was　no
longer　afraid。

〃Oh！〃　she　protested；　〃didn't　you　say；　twelve　years　ago；　a　humble
boy　played　ball　for　Hobart　College。　That　boy　now　stands　before
you？　Didn't　you　say　that？〃

〃Something　like　that；〃assented　the　District　Attorney。　〃Oh！〃　he
exclaimed；　〃that　young　man　who　showed　me　in　here　　your
confederate　or　fellow…conspirator　or　lookout　man　or　whatever　he
is　　told　me　you　used　to　be　a　regular　attendant　at　those
games。〃

〃I　never　missed　one！〃　Vera　cried。　She　leaned　forward；　her　eyes
shining；　her　brows　knit　with　the　effort　of　recollection。

〃I　used　to　tell　Aunt；〃　she　said；　〃I　had　to　drive　in　for　the
mail。　But　that　was　only　an　excuse。　Aunt　had　an　old　buggy；　and　an
old　white　horse　called　Roscoe　Conkling。　I　called　him　Rocks。　He
was　blind　in　one　eye；　and　he　would　walk　on　the　wrong　side　of　the
road；　you　had　to　drive　him　on　one　rein。〃　The　girl　was　speaking
rapidly；　eagerly。　She　had　lost　all　fear　of　her　visitor。　With
satisfaction　Winthrop　recognized　this；　and　unconsciously　he　was
now　frankly　regarding　the　face　of　the　girl　with　a　smile　of
pleasure　and　admiration。

〃And　I　used　to　tie　him　to　the　fence　just　opposite　first　base；〃
Vera　went　on　excitedly；　〃and　shout　　for　you！〃

〃Don't　tell　me；〃　interrupted　Winthrop；　in　burlesque　excitement；
〃that　you　were　that　very　pretty　little　girl；　with　short　dresses
and　long　legs；　who　used　to　sit　on　the　top　rail　and　kick　and
cheer。〃

Vera　shook　her　head　sternly。

〃I　was；〃　she　said；　〃but　you　never　saw　me。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　we　did；〃　protested　Winthrop。　〃We　used　to　call　you　our
mascot。〃

〃No；　that　was　some　other　little　girl；〃　said　Vera　firmly。　〃You
never　looked　at　me；　and　I〃　　she　laughed；　and　then　frowned　at
him　reproachfully　　〃I　thought　you　were　magnificent！　I　used　to
have　your　pictures　in　baseball　clothes　pinned　all　around　my
looking　glass；　and　whenever　you　made　a　base　hit；　I'd　shout　and
shout　　and　you'd　never　look　at　me！　And　one　day　　〃　she
stopped；　and　as　though　appalled　by　the　memory；　clasped　her
hands。　〃Oh；　it　was　awful！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃one　day　a　foul　ball
hit　the　fence；　and　I　jumped　down　and　threw　it　to　you；　and　you
said；　Thank　you；　sis！　And　I；〃　she　cried；　〃thought　I　was　a　young
lady！〃

〃Oh！　I　couldn't　have　said　that；〃　protested　Winthrop；　〃maybe　I
said　sister。〃

〃No；〃　declared　Vera　energetically　shaking　her　head；　〃not
sister；　sis。　And　you　never　did　look　at　me；　and　I　used　to　drive
past　your　house　every　day。　We　lived　only　a　mile　below　you。〃

〃Where？〃　asked　Winthrop。

〃On　the　lake　road　from　Syracuse；〃　said　Vera。　〃Don't　you　remember
the　farm　a　mile　below　yours　　the　one　with　the　red　barn　right
on　the　road？　Yes；　you　do；〃　she　insisted；　〃the　cows　were　always
looking　over　the　fence　right　into　the　road。〃

〃Of　course！〃　exclaimed　Winthrop　delightedly。　〃Was　that　your
house？〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　protested　Vera；　〃ours　was　the　little　cottage　on　the
other　side　　〃

〃With　poplars　round　it？〃　demanded　Winthrop。

〃That's　it！〃　cried　Vera　triumphantly；　〃with　poplars　round　it。〃

〃Why；　I　know　that　house　well。　We　boys　used　to　call　it　the
haunted　house。〃

〃That's　the　one；〃　assented　Vera。　She　smiled　with　satisfaction。
〃Well；　that's　where　I　lived　until　Aunt　died；〃　she　said。

〃And　then；　what？〃　asked　Winthrop。

For　a　moment　the　girl　did　not　answer。　Her　face　had　grown　grave
and　she　sat　motionless；　staring　beyond　her。　Suddenly；　as　though
casting　her　thoughts　from　her；　she　gave　a　sharp　toss　of　her
head。

〃Then；〃　she　said；　speaking　quickly；　〃I　went　into　the　mills；　and
was　ill　there；　and　I　wrote　Paul　and　Mabel　to　ask　if　I　could　join
them；　and　they　said　I　could。　But　I　was　too　ill；　and　I　had　no
money　　nothing。　And　then；〃　she　raised　her　eyes　to　his　and
regarded　him　steadily；　〃then　I　stole　that　cloak　to　get　the　money
to　join　them；　and　you　　you　helped　me　to　get　away；　and　　and〃
Winthrop　broke　in　hastily。　He　disregarded　both　her　manner　and
the　nature　of　what　she　had　said。

〃And　how　did　you　come　to　know　the　Vances？〃　he　asked。

After　a　pau