vera, the medium-第16章

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He　turned　savagely　upon　Miss　Coates。

〃You　haven't　lost　anything　yet；　have　you？〃　he　demanded。　〃She
hasn't　hurt　you；　has　she？　If　it's　revenge　you　want；〃　he　cried
insolently；　〃why　don't　you　throw　vitriol　on　the　girl？〃

〃Revenge！〃　exclaimed　Miss　Coates　indignantly。　〃It　is　my　duty。　My
public　duty。　I'm　not　alone　in　this；　I　am　acting　with　the
District　Attorney。　It　is　our　duty。〃　She　turned　suddenly　and
called；　〃Mr。　Winthrop；　Mr。　Winthrop！〃

For　the　first　time　Vera　saw；　under　the　gas　jet；　at　the　farther
end　of　the　hall；　the　figures　of　Mannie　and　Winthrop。

〃No；　no！〃　she　protested；　〃I　beg　of　you；〃　she　cried　hysterically。
〃I've　got　a　chance。　If　you　print　this　thing　tomorrow；　I'll　never
have　a　chance　again。　Don't　take　it　away　from　me。〃　Impulsively
her　arms　reached　out　in　an　eager　final　appeal。　〃I'm　down；〃　she
said　simply；　〃give　me　a　chance　to　get　up。〃

When　Miss　Coates　came　to　give　battle　to　the　Vances；　she　foresaw
the　interview　might　be　unpleasant。　It　was　proving　even　more
unpleasant　than　she　had　expected；　but　her　duty　seemed　none　the
less　obvious。

〃You　should　have　thought　of　that；〃　she　said；　〃before　you　were
found　out。〃

For　an　instant　Vera　stood　motionless；　staring；　unconsciously
holding　the　attitude　of　appeal。　But　when；　by　these　last　words；
she　recognized　that　her　humiliation　could　go　no　further；　with　an
inarticulate　exclamation　she　turned　away。

〃The　public　has　the　right　to　know；〃　declared　Miss　Coates；　〃the
sort　of　people　you　are。　I　have　the　record　of　each　of　you　　〃

From　the　hall　Winthrop　had　entered　quickly；　but；　disregarding
him；　Vance　broke　in　upon　the　speaker；　savagely；　defiantly。

〃Print　em；　then！〃　he　shouted；　〃print　em！〃

〃I　mean　to；〃　declared　Miss　Coates；　〃yours；　and　hers；　she　　〃

Winthrop　placed　himself　in　front　of　her；　shutting　her　off　from
the　others。　He　spoke　in　an　earnest　whisper。

〃Don't！〃　he　begged。　〃She　has　asked　for　a　chance。　Give　her　a
chance。〃

Miss　Coates　scorned　to　speak　in　whispers。

〃She　has　had　a　chance；〃　she　protested　loudly。　〃She's　had　a
chance　for　nine　years；　and　she's　chosen　to　be　a　charlatan　and　a
cheat；　and　　〃　The　angry　woman　hesitated；　and　then　flung　the
word　　〃and　a　thief！〃

In　the　silence　that　followed　no　one　turned　toward　Vera；　but　as
it　continued　unbroken　each　raised　his　eyes　and　looked　at　her。

They　saw　her　drawn　to　her　full　height；　the　color　flown　from　her
face；　her　deep；　brooding　eyes　flashing。　She　was　like　one　by　some
religious　fervor　lifted　out　of　herself；　exalted。　When　she　spoke
her　voice　was　low；　tense。　It　vibrated　with　tremendous；　wondering
indignation。

〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃　she　asked。　She　spoke　like　one　in　a
trance。　〃Do　you　know　who　you　are　threatening　with　your　police
and　your　laws？　I　am　a　priestess！　I　am　a　medium　between　the　souls
of　this　world　and　the　next。　I　am　Vera　　the　Truth！　And　I　mean；〃
the　girl　cried　suddenly；　harshly；　flinging　out　her　arm；　〃that
you　shall　hear　the　truth！　Tonight　I　will　bring　your　mother　from
the　grave　to　speak　it　to　you！〃

With　a　swift；　sweeping　gesture　she　pointed　to　the　door。　〃Take
those　people　away！〃　she　cried。

The　eyes　of　Winthrop　were　filled　with　pity。　〃Vera！〃　he　said；
〃Vera！〃

For　an　instant；　against　the　tenderness　and　reproach　in　his　voice
the　girl　held　herself　motionless；　and　then；　falling　upon　the
shoulder　of　Mrs。　Vance；　burst　into　girlish；　heart…broken　tears。

〃Take　them　away；〃　she　sobbed；　〃take　them　away！〃

Mannie　Day　and　Vance　closed　in　upon　the　visitors；　and　motioning
them　before　them；　drove　them　from　the　room。


Part　III

The　departure　of　the　District　Attorney　and　Miss　Coates　left　Vera
free　to　consider　how　serious；　if　she　carried　out　her　threat；　the
consequences　might　be。　But　of　this　chance　she　did　not　avail
herself。　Instead；　with　nervous　zeal　she　began　to　prepare　for　her
masquerade。　It　was　as　though　her　promise　to　Winthrop　to　abandon
her　old　friends　had　filled　her　with　remorse；　and　that　she　now；
by　an　extravagance　of　loyalty；　was　endeavoring　to　make　amends。

At　nine　o'clock；　with　the　Vances；　she　arrived　at　the　house　of
Mr。　Hallowell。　Already；　to　the　same　place；　a　wagon　had　carried
the　cabinet；　a　parlor　organ；　and　a　dozen　of　those　camp　chairs
that　are　associated　with　house　weddings　and　funerals；　and　while；
in　the　library；　Vance　and　Mannie　arranged　these　to　their　liking；
on　the　third　floor　Vera；　with　Mrs。　Vance；　waited　for　that　moment
to　arrive　when　Vance　considered　her　entrance　would　be　the　most
effective。

This　entrance　was　to　be　made　through　the　doorway　that　opened
from　the　hall　on　the　second　story　into　the　library。　To　the　right
of　this　door；　in　an　angle　of　two　walls；　was　the　cabinet；　and　on
the　left；　the　first　of　the　camp　chairs。　These　had　been　placed　in
a　semicircle　that　stretched　across　the　room；　and　ended　at　the
parlor　organ。　The　door　from　Mr。　Hallowell's　bedroom　opened
directly　upon　the　semicircle　at　the　point　most　distant　from　the
cabinet。　In　the　centre　of　the　semicircle　Vance　had　placed　the
invalid's　arm　chair。

Vance；　in　his　manner　as　professional　and　undisturbed　as　a
photographer　focussing　his　camera　and　arranging　his　screens；　was
explaining　to　Judge　Gaylor　the　setting　of　his　stage。　The　judge
was　an　unwilling　audience。　Unlike　the　showman；　for　him　the
occasion　held　only　terrors。　He　was　driven　by　misgivings；　swept
by　sudden　panics。　He　scowled　at　the　cabinet；　intruding　upon　the
privacy　of　the　room　where　for　years；　without　the　aid　of
accessories；　by　his　brains　alone；　he　had　brought　Mr。　Hallowell
almost　to　the　point　of　abject　submission　to　his　wishes。　He
turned　upon　Vance　with　bitter　self…disgust。

〃So；　I've　got　down　as　low　as　this；　have　I？〃　he　demanded。

Vance　heard　him；　undisturbed。

〃I　must　ask　you；〃　he　said；　briskly；　〃to　help　me　keep　the　people
just　as　I　seat　them。　They　will　be　in　this　half…circle　facing　the
cabinet　and　holding　hands。　Those　we　know　are　against　us；〃　he
explained；　〃will　have　one　of　my　friends；　Professor　Strombergk；
or　Mrs。　Marsh；　or　my　wife；　on　each　side　of　him。　If　there　should
be　any　attempt　to　rush　the　cabinet；　we　must　get　there　first。　I
will　be　outside　the　cabinet　working　the　rappings；　the　floating
music；　and　the　astral　bodies。〃　At　the　sight　of　the　expression
these　words　brought　to　the　face　of　Gaylor；　Vance　permitted
himself　the　shadow　of　a　smile。　〃I　can　take　care　of　myself；〃　he
went　on；　〃but　remember　　Vera　must　not　be　caught　outside　the
cabinet！　When　the　lights　go　up；　she　must　be　found　with　the　ropes
still　tied。〃

Gaylor　turned　from　him　with　an　exclamation　of　disgust。

〃Pah！〃　he　muttered。　〃It's　a　hell　of　a　business！〃

Vance　continued　unmoved。　〃And；　another　thing；〃　he　said；　〃about
these　lights；　this　switch　throws　them　all　off；　doesn't　it？〃　He
pressed　a　button　on　the　left　of　the　door；　and　the　electric
lights　in　the　walls　and　under　a　green　shade　on　the　library　table
faded　and　disappeared；　leaving　the　room；　save　for　the　light　from
the　hall；　in　darkness。

〃That's　the　way　we　want　it；〃　said　the　showman。

From　the　hall　Mannie　appeared　between　the　curtains　that　hung
across　the　doorway。　〃What　are　you　doing　with　the　lights？〃　he
demanded。　〃You　want　to　break　my　neck？　All　our　people　are
downstairs；〃　he　announced。

Vance　turned　on　the　lights。　At　the　same　moment　Rainey　came　from
the　bedroom　into　the　library。　It　was　evident　that　to　sustain　his
courage　he　had　been　drinking。　He　made　no　effort　to　greet　those
in　the　room；　but　stood；　glaring　resentfully　at　the　cabinet　and
the　row　of　chairs。

〃Well；〃　exclaimed　Vance　cheerfully；　〃if　our　folks　are　all　here；
we're　all　right。〃

Glancing　behind　him；　Mannie　took　Vance　by　the　sleeve；　and　led
him　to　the　centre　of　the　room。

〃No；　we're　not　all　right；〃　said　the　boy；　〃that　Miss　Coates　has
brought　a　friend　with　her。　She　says　Hallowell　told　her　she　could
bring　a　friend。　She　says　this　young　fellow　is　her　friend。　I
think　he's　a　Pink！〃

〃What　nonsense；〃　exclaimed　Gaylor　in　alarm。　〃No　detective　would
force　his　way　into　this　house。〃

〃She　says；〃　continued　Mannie；　disregarding　Gaylor；　and　still
addressing　Vance；　〃he's　a　seeker　after　the　Truth。　I'll　bet；〃
declared　the　boy　violently；　〃he's　a　seeker　after　the　truth！〃

Garrett　came　hastily　and　noiselessly　into　the　room。　He　nodded
toward　Mannie。

〃Has　he　told　you？〃　he　asked。

〃Ye