vera, the medium-第18章

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business　that　makes　the　trouble！〃　she　cried。　〃I　tell　them　to　cut
it　out。　Now；　the　mind　reading　at　the　theatre；〃　she　sobbed；
〃there's　no　harm　in　that；　is　there？　And　there's　twice　the　money
in　it。　But　this　ghost　raising〃　　she　raised　her　eyes
appealingly；　as　though　begging　to　be　contradicted　　〃it's　sure
to　get　him　into　trouble；　isn't　it？〃

Winthrop　shook　his　head；　and　smiled。

〃It　may；〃　he　said。　Mrs。　Vance　broke　into　a　fresh　outburst　of
tears。　〃I　knew　it；〃　she　cried；　〃I　knew　it。〃　Winthrop　placed
his　hand　upon　her　arm　and　turned　her　in　the　direction　of
the　door。

〃Don't　worry；：〃　he　said　soothingly。　〃Go　send　Miss　Vera
here。　And；〃　he　called　after　her；　〃don't　worry。〃

As　Mabel　departed　upon　his　errand；　Rainey　reentered　from　the
bedroom。　He　carefully　closed　the　door　and　halted　with　his　hand
upon　the　knob；　and　shook　his　head。

〃It's　no　use；〃　he　said；　〃he　will　go　on　with　it。　It's　not　my
fault；〃　he　whined；　〃I　told　him　it　would　kill　him。　I　couldn't
make　it　any　stronger　than　that；　could　I？〃

Rainey　was　not　looking　at　Winthrop；　but；　as　though　fearful　of
interruption；　toward　the　door。　His　eyes　were　harassed；　furtive；
filled　with　miserable　indecision。　Many　times　before　Winthrop　had
seen　men　in　such　a　state。　He　knew　that　for　the　sufferer　it
foretold　a　physical　break　down；　or　that　he　would　seek　relief　in
full　confession。　To　give　the　man　confidence；　he　abandoned　his
attitude　of　suspicion。

〃That　certainly　would　be　strong　enough　for　me；〃　he　said
cheerfully。　〃Did　you　tell　him　what　I　advised？〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　muttered　Rainey　impatiently。　〃He　said　you　were
invited　here　to　give　advice　to　his　niece；　not　to　him。〃　For　the
first　time　his　eyes　met　those　of　Winthrop　boldly。　The　District
Attorney　recognized　that　the　man　had　taken　his　fears　by　the
throat；　and　had　arrived　at　his　decision。〃

〃See　here；〃　exclaimed　Rainey；　〃could　I　give　you　some
information？〃

〃I'm　sure　you　could；〃　returned　Winthrop　briskly。　〃Give　it　to
me　now。〃

But　Rainey；　glancing　toward　the　door；　shrank　back。　Winthrop；
following　the　direction　of　his　eyes；　saw　Vera。　Impatiently　he
waved　Rainey　away。

〃At　the　office；　tomorrow　morning；〃　he　commanded。　With　a　sigh　of
relief　at　the　reprieve；　Rainey　slipped　back　into　the　bedroom。

Winthrop　had　persuaded　himself　that　in　seeking　to　speak　with
Vera；　he　was　making　only　a　natural　choice　between　preventing　the
girl　from　perpetrating　a　fraud；　or；　later；　for　that　fraud；
holding　her　to　account。　But　when　she　actually　stood　before　him；
he　recognized　how　absurdly　he　had　deceived　himself。　At　the　mere
physical　sight　of　her；　there　came　to　him　a　swift　relief；　a
thrill　of　peace　and　deep　content；　and　with　delighted　certainty
he　knew　that　what　Vera　might　do　or　might　not　do　concerned　him
not　at　all；　that　for　him　all　that　counted　was　the　girl　herself。
With　something　of　this　showing　in　his　face；　he　came　eagerly
toward　her。

〃Vera！〃　he　exclaimed。　In　the　word　there　was　delight；　wonder；
tenderness；　but　if　the　girl　recognized　this　she　concealed　her
knowledge。　Instead；　her　eyes　looked　into　his　frankly；　her　manner
was　that　of　open　friendliness。

〃Mabel　tells　me　you　want　to　talk　to　me；〃　she　said　evenly　〃but　I
don't　want　you　to。　I　have　something　I　want　to　say　to　you。　I
could　have　written　it；　but　this〃　　for　an　instant　the　girl
paused　with　her　lips　pressed　together；　when　she　spoke；　her　voice
carried　the　firmness　and　finality　of　one　delivering　a　verdict　
〃but　this；〃　she　repeated；　〃is　the　last　time　you　shall　hear　from
me；　or　see　me　again。〃

Winthrop　gave　an　exclamation　of　impatience；　of　indignation。

〃No；〃　returned　the　girl；　〃it　is　quite　final。　Maybe　you　will　not
want　to　see　me；　but　　〃

Winthrop　again　sharply　interrupted　her。　His　voice　was　filled
with　reproach。
〃Vera！〃　he　protested。

〃Well；〃　said　the　girl　more　gently；　〃I'm　glad　to　think　you　do；
but　this　is　the　last；　and　before　I　go；　I　　〃。

〃Go！〃　demanded　Winthrop　roughly。　〃Where？〃

〃Before　I　go；〃　continued　the　girl；　〃I　want　to　tell　you　how　much
you　have　helped　me　　I　want　to　thank　you　　〃。

〃You　haven't　let　me　thank　you；〃　broke　in　Winthrop；　〃and；　now；
you　pretend　this　is　our　last　meeting。　It's　absurd！〃。

〃It　is　our　last　meeting；〃　replied　the　girl。　Of　the　two；　for　the
moment；　she　was　the　older；　the　more　contained。　〃On　the
contrary；〃　contradicted　the　man。　He　spoke　sharply；　in　a　tone　he
tried　to　make　as　determined　as　her　own。　〃Our　next　meeting　will
be　in　ten　minutes　　at　my　sister's。　I　have　told　her　about　this
afternoon；　and　about　you；　and　she　wants　very　much　to　meet　you。
She　has　sent　her　car　for　you。　It's　waiting　in　front　of　the
house。　Now；〃　he　commanded　masterfully；　〃you　come　with　me；　and
get　in　it；　and　leave　all　this〃　　he　gave　an　angry；　contemptuous
wave　of　the　hand　toward　the　cabinet　　〃behind　you；　as；〃　he
added　earnestly；　〃you　promised　me　you　would。〃

As　though　closing　from　sight　the　possibility　he　suggested；　the
girl　shut　her　eyes　quickly；　and　then　opened　them　again　to　meet
his。

〃I　can't　leave　these　things　behind　me；〃　she　said　quietly。

〃I　told　you　so　this　afternoon。　For　a　moment；　you　made　me　think　I
could；　and　I　did　promise。　I　didn't　need　to　promise。　It's　what
I've　prayed　for。　Then；　you　saw　what　happened；　you　saw　I　was
right。　Within　five　minutes　that　woman　came　　〃


〃That　woman　had　a　motive；〃　protested　Winthrop。

〃That　woman；〃　continued　the　girl　patiently；　〃or　some　other
woman。　What　does　it　matter？　In　five　minutes；　or　five　days；　some
one　would　have　told。〃　She　leaned　toward　him　anxiously。　〃I'm　not
complaining；〃　she　said；　〃it's　my　own　fault。　It's　the　life　I've
chosen。〃　She　hesitated　and　then　as　though　determined　to　carry
out　a　programme　she　had　already　laid　down　for　herself；　continued
rapidly：　〃And　what　I　want　to　tell　you；　is；　that　what's　best　in
that　life　I　owe　to　you。〃

〃Vera！〃　cried　the　man　sharply。

〃Listen！〃　said　the　girl。　Her　eyes　were　alight；　eager。　She　spoke
frankly；　proudly；　without　embarrassment；　without　fear　of　being
misconstrued；　as　a　man　might　speak　to　a　man。

〃I'd　be　ungrateful；　I'd　be　a　coward；〃　said　the　girl；　〃if　I　went
away　and　didn't　tell　you。　For　ten　years　I've　been　counting　on
you。　I　made　you　a　sort　of　standard。　I　said；　as　long　as　he　keeps
to　his　ideals；　I'm　going　to　keep　to　mine。　Maybe　you　think　my
ideals　have　not　been　very　high；　but　anyway　you've　made　it　easy
for　me。　Because　I'm　in　this　business；　because　I'm　good…looking
enough；　certain　men〃　　the　voice　of　the　girl　grew　hard　and　cool
　〃have　done　me　the　honor　to　insult　me；　and　it　was　knowing　you；
and　that　there　are　others　like　you；　that　helped　me　not　to　care。〃
The　girl　paused。　She　raised　her　eyes　to　his　frankly。　The　look　in
them　was　one　of　pride　in　him；　of　loyalty；　of　affection。　〃And
now；　since　I've　met　you；〃　she　went　on；　〃I　find　you're　just　as　I
imagined　you'd　be；　just　as　I'd　hoped　you'd　be。〃　She　reached　out
her　hand　warningly；　appealingly。　〃And　I　don't　want　you　to
change；　to　let　down；　to　grow　discouraged。　You　can't　tell　how
many　more　people　are　counting　on　you。〃　She　hesitated　and；　as
though　at　last　conscious　of　her　own　boldness；　flushed
deprecatingly；　like　one　asking　pardon。　〃You　men　in　high　places；〃
she　stammered；　〃you're　like　light　houses　showing　the　way。　You
don't　know　how　many　people　you　are　helping。　You　can't　see　them。
You　can't　tell　how　many　boats　are　following　your　light；　but　if
your　light　goes　out；　they　are　wrecked。〃　She　gave　a　sigh　of
relief。　〃That's　what　I　wanted　to　tell　you；〃　she　said；　〃and；　so
thank　you。〃　She　held　out　her　hand。　〃And；　goodby。〃

Winthrop's　answer　was　to　clasp　her　hand　quickly　in　both　of　his；
and　draw　her　toward　him。

〃Vera；〃　he　begged；　〃come　with　me　now！〃

The　girl　withdrew　her　hand　and　moved　away　from　him；　frowning。
〃No；〃　she　said；　〃no；　you　do　not　want　to　understand。　I　have　my
work　to　do　tonight。〃

Winthrop　gave　an　exclamation　of　anger。

〃You　don't　mean　to　tell　me；〃　he　cried；　〃that　you're　going　on
with　this？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　And　then　in　sudden　alarm　cried：　〃But　not　if
you're　here！　I'll　fail　if　you're　here。　Promise　me；　you　will　not
be　here。〃

〃Indeed；〃　cried　the　man　indignantly；　〃I　will　not！　But　I'll　be
downstairs　when　you　need　me。　And；〃　he　added　warningly；　〃you'll
need　me。〃　〃No；〃　said　the　girl。　〃No　matter　what　happens；　I　tell
you；　between　us；　this　is　the　end。