vera, the medium-第17章

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

〃Has　he　told　you？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃　Gaylor　answered；　〃who　is　he？〃

〃The　reporter　who　was　here　this　morning；〃　Garrett　returned。　〃The
one　who　threatened　　〃

〃That'll　do；〃　commanded　Gaylor。　In　the　face　of　this　new
complication　he　again　became　himself。　Suavely　and　politely　he
turned　to　Vance。　〃Will　you　and　your　friend　join　Miss　Vera；〃　he
asked；　〃and　tell　her　that　we　begin　in　a　few　minutes？〃

For　the　first　time；　aggressively　and　offensively　Rainey　broke
his　silence。

〃No；　we　won't　begin　in　a　few　minutes；〃　he　announced；　〃not　by　a
damned　sight！〃

The　explosion　was　so　unexpected　that；　for　an　instant；　while　the
eyes　of　all　were　fixed　in　astonishment　upon　the　speaker；　there
was　complete　silence。　Gaylor；　still　suave；　still　polite；　looked
toward　Vance；　and　motioned　him　to　the　door。

〃Will　you　kindly　do　as　I　ask？〃　he　said。　With　Mannie　at　his　side；
Vance　walked　quickly　from　the　room。　Once　in　the　hall；　the　boy
laid　a　detaining　hand　upon　the　arm　of　the　older　man。

〃If　you'll　take　my　advice；　which　you　won't；〃　he　said；　〃we'll　all
cut　and　run　now；　while　we　got　the　chance！〃

In　the　library；　Gaylor　turned　savagely　upon　his　fellow
conspirator。

〃Well！〃　he　demanded。

Rainey　frowned　at　him　sulkily。　〃I　wash　my　hands　of　the　whole
thing！〃　he　cried。

Gaylor　dropped　his　voice　to　a　whisper。

〃What　are　you　afraid　of　now？：　he　demanded。　〃If　you're　not　afraid
of　a　district　attorney；　why　are　you　afraid　of　a　reporter？〃

〃I'm　not　afraid　of　anybody；〃　returned　Rainey；　thickly。　〃But；　I
don't　mean　to　be　a　party　to　no　murder！〃　He　paused；　shaking　his
head　portentously。　〃That　man　in　there；〃　he　whispered；　nodding
toward　the　bedroom；　〃is　in　no　condition　to　go　through　this。
After　that　shock　this　morning；　and　last　night　　it'll　kill　him。
His　heart's　rotten；　I　tell　you；　rotten！〃

Garrett　snarled　contemptuously。

〃How　do　you　know？〃　he　demanded。

〃How　do　I　know？〃　returned　Rainey；　fiercely。　〃I　was　four　years　in
a　medical　college；　when　you　were　in　jail；　you　　〃　〃Stop　that！〃
cried　Gaylor。　Glancing　fearfully　toward　the　open　door；　he
interposed　between　them。

〃Don't　take　my　advice；　then；〃　cried　Rainey。　〃Go　on！　Kill　him！
And　he　won't　sign　your　will。　Only；　don't　say　I　didn't　tell　you。〃

〃Have　you　told　him？〃　demanded　Gaylor。

〃Yes；〃　Rainey　answered　stoutly。　〃Told　him　if　he　didn't　stop
this；　he　wouldn't　live　till　morning。〃

〃Are　we　forcing　him　to　do　this？〃　demanded　Gaylor。　〃No！　He's
forcing　it　on　us。　My　God！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃do　you　think　I　want
this　farce？　You　say；　yourself；　you　told　him　it　would　kill　him；
and　he　will　go　on　with　it。　Then　why　do　you　blame　us？　Can　we　help
ourselves？〃

The　butler　had　distinguished　the　sounds　of　footsteps　in　the
hall。　He　fell　hastily　to　rearranging　the　camp　chairs。

〃Hush！〃　he　warned。　〃Look　out！〃　Gaylor　and　Rainey　had　but　time　to
move　apart；　when　Winthrop　entered。　He　regarded　the　three　men
with　a　smile　of　understanding。

〃I　beg　pardon；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I　am　interrupting？〃

Gaylor　greeted　him　with　exaggerated　heartiness。

〃Ah；　it　is　Mr。　Winthrop！〃　he　cried。　〃Have　you　come　to　help　us
find　out　the　truth　this　evening？〃

〃I　certainly　hope　not！〃　said　Winthrop　brusquely。　〃I　know　the
truth　about　too　many　people　already。〃　He　turned　to　Garrett；　who；
unobtrusively；　was　endeavoring　to　make　his　escape。

〃I　want　to　see　Miss　Vera；〃　he　said。

〃Miss　Vera；〃　interposed　Gaylor。　〃I'm　afraid　that's　not　possible。
She　especially　asked　not　to　be　disturbed　before　the　seance。　I'm
sorry。〃

Winthrop's　manner　became　suspiciously　polite。

〃Yes？〃　he　inquired。　〃Well；　nevertheless　I　think　I'll　ask　her。
Tell　Miss　Vera；　please；〃　he　said　to　Garrett；　〃that　Mr。　Winthrop
would　like　a　word　with　her　here；〃　with　significance　he　added；
〃in　private。〃

In　offended　dignity；　Judge　Gaylor　moved　toward　the　door。　〃Dr。
Rainey；〃　he　said　stiffly；　〃will　you　please　inform　Mr。　Hallowell
that　his　guests　are　now　here；　and　that　I　have　gone　to　bring　them
upstairs。〃

〃Yes；　but　you　won't　bring　them　upstairs；　please；〃　said　Winthrop；
〃until　you　hear　from　me。〃

Gaylor　flushed　with　anger　and　for　a　moment　appeared　upon　the
point　of　mutiny。　Then；　as　though　refusing　to　consider　himself
responsible　for　the　manners　of　the　younger　man；　he　shrugged　his
shoulders　and　left　the　room。

With　even　less　of　consideration　than　he　had　shown　to　Judge
Gaylor；　Winthrop　turned　upon　Rainey。

〃How's　your　patient？〃　he　asked　shortly。　Rainey　was　sufficiently
influenced　by　the　liquor　he　had　taken　to　dare　to　resent
Winthrop's　peremptory　tone。　His　own　in　reply　was　designedly
offensive。

〃My　patient？〃　he　inquired。

〃Mr。　Hallowell；〃　snapped　Winthrop；　〃he's　sick；　isn't　he？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　returned　the　Doctor。

〃You　don't　know？〃　demanded　Winthrop。　〃Well；　I　know。　I　know　if　he
goes　through　this　thing　tonight；　he'll　have　another　collapse。　I
saw　one　this　morning。　Why　don't　you　forbid　it？　You're　his
medical　adviser；　aren't　you？〃

Rainey　remained　sullenly　silent。

〃Answer　me！〃　insisted　the　District　Attorney。　〃You　are；　aren't
you？〃

〃I　am；〃　at　last　declared　Rainey。

〃Well；　then；〃　commanded　Winthrop；　〃tell　him　to　stop　this。　Tell
him　I　advise　it。〃

Through　his　glasses　Rainey　blinked　violently　at　the　District
Attorney；　and　laughed。　〃I　didn't　know；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　were
a　medical　man。〃

Winthrop　looked　at　the　Doctor　so　steadily；　and　for　so　long
a　time；　that　the　eyes　of　the　young　man　sought　the　floor　and　the
ceiling；　and　his　sneer　changed　to　an　expression　of　discomfort。

〃I　am　not；〃　said　Winthrop。　〃I　am　the　District　Attorney　of　New
York。〃　His　tones　were　cold；　precise；　they　fell　upon　the
superheated　brain　of　Dr。　Rainey　like　drops　from　an　icicle。

〃When　I　took　over　that　office；〃　continued　Winthrop；　〃I　found　a
complaint　against　two　medical　students；　a　failure　to　report　the
death　of　an　old　man　in　a　private　sanitarium。〃

Winthrop　lowered　his　eyes；　and　became　deeply　absorbed　in　the
toe　of　his　boot。　〃I　haven't　looked　into　the　papers；　yet；〃　he
said。

Rainey；　swaying　slightly；　jerked　open　the　door　of　the　bedroom。
〃I'll　tell　him；〃　he　panted　thickly。　〃I'll　tell　him　to　do　as　you
say。〃

〃Thank　you；　I　wish　you　would；〃　said　Winthrop。

At　the　same　moment；　from　the　hall；　Garrett　announced；　〃Mrs。
Vance；　sir。〃　And　Mabel　Vance；　tremulous　and　frightened；　entered
the　room。

Winthrop　approached　her　eagerly。

〃Ah！　Mrs。　Vance；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃can　I　see　Miss　Vera？〃

Embarrassed　and　unhappy；　Mrs。　Vance　moved　restlessly　from
foot　to　foot；　and　shook　her　head。

〃Please；　Mr。　District　Attorney；〃　she　begged。　〃I'm　afraid　not。
This　afternoon　upset　her　so。　And　she's　so　nervous　and　queer
that　the　Professor　thinks　she　shouldn't　see　nobody。〃

〃The　Professor？〃　he　commented。　His　voice　was　considerate；
conciliatory。　〃Now；　Mrs。　Vance；〃　he　said；　〃I've　known　Miss
Vera　ever　since　she　was　a　little　girl；　known　her　longer　than
you　have；　and；　I'm　her　friend；　and　you're　her　friend；　and　　〃

〃I　am；〃　protested　Mabel　Vance　tearfully。〃Indeed　I　am！〃

〃I　know　you　are；〃　Winthrop　interrupted　hastily。
〃You've　been　more　than　a　friend　to　her；　you've　been　a　sister；
mother；　and　you　don't　want　any　trouble　to　come　to　her；　do　you？〃

〃I　don't；〃　cried　the　woman。　〃Oh！〃　she　exclaimed　miserably；　〃I
told　them　there'd　be　trouble！〃

Winthrop　laughed　reassuringly。

〃Well；　there　won't　be　any　trouble；〃　he　declared；　〃if　I　can　help
it。　And　if　you　want　to　help　her；　help　me。　Persuade　her　to　let
me　talk　to　her。　Don't　mind　what　the　Professor　says。〃

〃I　will；〃　declared　Mrs。　Vance　with　determination；　〃I　will。〃
She　started　eagerly　toward　the　hall；　and　then　paused　and
returned。　Her　hands　were　clasped；　her　round；　baby　eyes；　wet
with　tears；　were　fixed　upon　Winthrop　appealingly。

〃Oh；　please；〃　she　pleaded；　〃you're　not　going　to　hurt　him；　are
you？　Paul；　my　husband；〃　she　explained；　〃he's　been　such　a　good
husband　to　me。〃

Winthrop　laughed　uneasily。

〃Why；　that'll　be　all　right；〃　he　protested。

〃He　doesn't　mean　any　harm；　insisted　Mrs。　〃Vance；　〃he's　on　the
level；　true；　he　is！〃

〃Why；　of　course；　of　course；〃　Winthrop　assented。

Unsatisfied；　Mrs。　Vance　burst　into　tears。　〃It's　this　spirit
business　that　makes　the　trouble！〃　she　cried。　〃I　tell　them　to　cut
it　out。　Now；