vera, the medium-第6章
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priestess of the occult to fly with him； to live with him； to
marry him。 When this happened Vera would touch a button； and
〃Mannie〃 Day； who admitted visitors； and later； in the hall；
searched their hats and umbrellas for initials； came on the run
and threw the infatuated one out upon a cold and unfeeling
sidewalk。
So Vera had seen both the seamy side of life and； in the drawing
rooms where Vance and she exhibited their mind reading tricks；
had been made much of by great ladies and； for an hour as brief
as Cinderella's； had looked upon a world of kind and well…bred
people。 Since she was fourteen； for seven years； this had been
her life a life as open to the public as the life of an
actress； as easy of access as that of the stenographer in the
hotel lobby。 As a result； the girl had encased herself in a
defensive armor of hardness and distrust； a protection which was
rendered futile by the loveliness of her face； by the softness
of her voice； by the deep； brooding eyes； and the fine forehead
on which； like a crown； rested the black waves of her hair。
In her work Vera accepted； without question； the parts to which
Vance assigned her。 When in their mummeries they were
successful； she neither enjoyed the credulity of those they had
tricked nor was sobered with remorse。 In the world Vance found a
certain number of people with money who demanded to be fooled。
It was his business and hers to meet that demand。 If ever the
conscience of either stirred restlessly； Vance soothed it by the
easy answer that if they did not take the money some one else
would。 It was all in the day's work。 It was her profession。
As she entered the library of Mr。 Hallowell； which； with Vance；
she already had visited several times； she looked like a child
masquerading in her mother's finery。 She suggested an ingenue
who had been suddenly sent on in the role of the Russian
adventuress。 Her slight girl's figure was draped in black lace。
Her face was shaded by a large picture hat； heavy with drooping
ostrich feathers； around her shoulders was a necklace of jade；
and on her wrists many bracelets of silver gilt。 When she moved
they rattled。 As the girl advanced； smiling； to greet Mr。
Hallowell； she suddenly stopped； shivered slightly； and threw
her right arm across her eyes。 Her left arm she stretched over
the table。
〃Give me your hand！〃 she commanded。 Dubiously； with a watchful
glance at Vance； Mr。 Hallowell leaned forward and took her hand。
〃You have been ill；〃 cried the girl； 〃very ill I see you I
see you in a kind of faint very lately。〃 Her voice rose
excitedly。 〃Yes； last night。〃
Mr。 Hallowell protested with indignation。 〃You read that in the
morning paper；〃 he said。
Vera lowered her arm from her eyes and turned them reproachfully
on him。
〃I don't read the Despatch；〃 she answered。
Mr。 Hallowell drew back suspiciously。 〃I didn't say it was the
Despatch；〃 he returned。
Vance quickly interposed。 〃You don't have to say it；〃 he
explained with glibness； 〃you thought it。 And Vera read your
thoughts。 You were thinking of the Despatch； weren't you？ Well；
there you are！ It's wonderful！〃
〃Wonderful？ Nonsense！〃 mocked Mr。 Hallowell。 〃She did read it in
the paper or Rainey told her。〃
The girl shrugged her shoulders patiently。 〃If you would rather
find out you were ill from the newspapers than from the spirit
world；〃 she inquired； 〃why do you ask me here？〃
〃I ask you here； young woman；〃 exclaimed Hallowell； sinking back
in his chair； 〃because I hoped you would tell me something I
can't learn from the newspapers。 But you haven't been able to do
it yet。 My dear young lady；〃 exclaimed the old man wistfully； 〃I
want to believe； but I must be convinced。 No tricks with me！ I
can explain how you might have found out everything you have
told me。 Give me a sign！〃 He beat the flat of his hand upon the
table。 〃Show me something I can't explain！〃
〃Mr。 Hallowell is quite right； Vera；〃 said Vance。 〃He is
entering what is to him a new world； full of mysteries； and that
caution which in this world has made him so successful 〃
With an exclamation； Hallowell cut short the patter of the
showman。
〃Yes； yes；〃 he interrupted petulantly； 〃I tell you； I want to
believe。 Convince me。〃
Considering the situation with pursed lips and thoughtful eyes；
Vera gazed at the old man； frowning。 Finally she asked； 〃Have
you witnessed out demonstrations of mind reading？〃
Mr。 Hallowell snorted。 〃Certainly not；〃 he replied； 〃it's a
trick！〃
〃A trick！〃 cried the girl indignantly； 〃to read a man's mind
to see right through your forehead； through your skull； into
your brain？ Is that a trick？〃 She turned sharply to Vance。 〃Show
him！〃 she commanded； 〃show him！〃 She crossed rapidly to the
window and stood looking down into the street； with her back to
the room。
Vance； with his back turned to Vera； stood close to the table；
on the other side of which Hallowell was reclining in his arm
chair。 Vance picked up a pen holder。
〃Think of what I have in my hand； please；〃 he said。 〃What is
this； Vera？〃 he asked。 The girl； gazing from the window at the
traffic in the avenue below her； answered with indifference； 〃A
pen holder。〃
〃Yes； what about it？〃 snapped Vance。
〃Gold pen holder；〃 Vera answered more rapidly。 〃Much engraving
initials S。 H。 Mr。 Hallowell's initials 〃
〃There is a date too。 Can you 〃
〃December 〃 Vera hesitated。
〃Go on；〃 commanded Vance。
〃Twenty…five； one； eight； eight； six； one thousand eight hundred
and eighty…six。〃 She moved her shoulders impatiently。
〃Oh； tell him to think of something difficult；〃 she said。
From behind Mr。 Hallowell's chair Rainey signaled to Vance to
take from the table a photograph frame of silver which held the
picture of a woman。
Vance picked it up； holding it close to him。
〃What have I here； Vera？〃 he asked。
Hallowell； seeing what Vance held in his hand； leaned forward。
〃Put that down！〃 he commanded。 But Vera had already begun to
answer。
〃A picture； a picture of a young woman。 Ask him to think of who
it is and I will tell him。〃
At the words Mr。 Hallowell hesitated； frowned； and then nodded。
〃It is his sister；〃 called Vera。 〃Her name was I seem to get
a Catherine yes； that's it； Catherine Coates。 She is no
longer with us。 She passed into the spirit world three years
ago。〃 The girl turned suddenly and approached the table； holding
her head high； as though offended。
〃How do you explain that trick？〃 she demanded。
Mr。 Hallowell moved uneasily in his chair。 〃Oh； the picture's
been on my desk each time you've been here；〃 he answered
dubiously。 〃Rainey could have told you。〃
〃As a matter of fact； I didn't；〃 said Rainey。
Hallowell's eyes lightened with interest。 〃Didn't you？〃 he
asked。 He turned to Vera。 〃If you can read my mind；〃 he
challenged 〃you；〃 he added； pointing at Vance； 〃keep out of
this now tell me of what I am thinking。〃 As Vance drew back；
Rainey and himself exchanged a quick glance of apprehension； but
the girl promptly closed her eyes； and at once； in a dull；
measured tone； began to speak。
〃You were thinking you would like to ask a question of some one
in the spirit；〃 she recited。 〃But you are afraid。 You do not
trust me。 You will wait until I give you a sign； then you will
ask that question of some one dear to you； who has passed
beyond； and she will answer； and your troubles will be at an
end。〃 She opened her eyes and stared at Mr。 Hallowell like one
coming out of a dream。 〃What did I say？〃 she asked。 〃Was I
right？〃
Hallowell slank back in his chair； shaking his head。
〃Yes；〃 he began grudgingly； 〃but 〃
With an eagerness hardly concealed； Vance interrupted。
〃What is the question you wish to ask？〃 he begged。
With a frown of suspicion； Hallowell turned from him to Rainey。
〃I don't think I ought to let them know；〃 he questioned； 〃do
you？〃 But his attention was sharply diverted。
Vera； in a hushed and solemn voice； called for silence。
〃My control；〃 she explained her tone was deep and awestruck
〃is trying to communicate with me。〃
Vance gave an exclamation of concern。 The prospect of the
phenomena Vera promised seemed to fill him with delight
