Richard Harding Davis

“ He found Gaylor's arm and clutched it with both hands.
"My God! It's Kate!" he gasped. "I tell you, Henry, it is she!"
The voice of Vance, deep and hollow like a bell, sounded a note of warning. "Speak quickly," he commanded. "Her time on earth is brief." Mr. Hallowell's hold upon the arm of his friend relaxed. Fearfully and slowly, he bent forward.
"Kate!" he pleaded; "I must ask you a question. No one else can tell me." As though gathering courage, he paused, and, with a frightened sigh again began. "I am an old man," he murmured; "a sick man. ”

“ 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. ”

“ From the organ rose softly the prelude to a Moody and Sankey hymn, and, in keeping with the music, the voice of Vance sank to a low tone.
"We will now," he said, "establish the magnetic chain. Each person will take with his right hand the left wrist of the person on his or her right." He paused while this order was being carried to effect.
"Before I turn out the lights" he continued, "I wish to say a last word to any sceptic who may be present. I warn him that any attempt to lay violent hands upon the apparition, or spirit, may cost the medium her life. ”

“ Hallowell waved his arm to include every one in the room.
"Everybody will serve on the committee," he declared. "Everything is to be open and above-board. The whole city is welcome on the committee. I want this to be above suspicion."
"That is my wish, also, sir," said Vance stiffly. "But a committee of more than three is unwieldy. Suppose you name two gentlemen, and I one? Or," he shrugged his shoulders, "you can name all three."
After a moment of consideration Mr. Hallowell pointed at Lee. "I choose Mr.—that young man," he announced, "and Judge Gaylor." ”

“ Vance explained. "He furnishes the music." He pushed Mannie toward the organ.
"Music!" growled Hallowell. "Must there be music?"
"It is indispensable," protested Vance. "Music, sir, is one of the strongest psychic influences. It——"
"Nonsense!" cried Hallowell. "Tricks," he muttered; "tricks!"
Vance shrugged his shoulders, and smiled in deprecation. "I am sorry to find you in a sceptical mood, Mr. Hallowell," he murmured reprovingly. "It will hardly help to produce good results. Allow me," he begged, "to present two true believers." ”

“ 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 glared sullenly at the cabinet and the row of chairs. ”

“ Mr. Day will please acquaint Miss Vera and Mrs. Vance with the fact that we are ready."
Up to this point Vance had appeared only as a stage manager. He had been concerned with his groupings, his lights; in assigning to his confederates the parts they were to play. Now that the curtain was to rise, as an actor puts on a wig and grease paint, Vance assumed a certain voice and manner. On the stage the critics would have called him a convincing actor. He made his audience believe what he believed. He knew the eloquence of a pause, the value of a surprised, unintelligible exclamation. ”

“ Lee," she added dryly, "believes even less than I do."
"Then it will be all the more of a triumph, if we convince him," declared Hallowell. "Understand, young man," he proclaimed loudly, "I am not a spiritualist. I am merely conducting an investigation. I want the truth. If you, or my niece, detect any fraud to-night, I want to know it." Including in his speech the others in the room, he glared suspiciously in turn at each. "Keep your eyes open," he ordered, "you will be serving me quite as much as you will Miss Coates." ”

“ 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 them. 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! ”

“ Winthrop is mistaken. He does not know me," she said miserably. "I shall not fail."
For a moment, after she had left him, Gaylor stood motionless, his eyes filled with concern, and then, with a shrug, as though accepting either good or evil fortune, he called from the bedroom Mr. Hallowell, and from the floor below the guests of Hallowell, and of Vance.
As Hallowell, supported by Rainey, sank into the invalid's chair in the centre of the semicircle, Gaylor made his final appeal.
"Stephen," he begged; "are you sure you're feeling strong enough? ”

“ Hallowell, his eyes staring, his lips parted, nodded his head. The music grew louder. Vance switched off the lights.
For some minutes, except for the creaking of the pedals of the organ and the low throb of the music, there was no sound. Then, from his position at the open door, the voice of Vance commanded sternly: "No whispering, please. The medium is susceptible to the least sound." There was another longer pause, until in hushed expectant tones Vance spoke again. "The air is very heavily charged with electricity to-night," he said. "You Mrs. Marsh, should feel that?" ”

“ 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. ”

“ Hallowell," purred the old lady. "If there be any doubt in your mind, you must get rid of it, or we will have no results."
With a dramatic gesture, Vance swept aside from the opening in the cabinet the black velvet curtain. "It's a simple affair," he said indifferently. "As you see, it's open at the top and bottom. The medium sits inside on that chair, bound hand and foot."
In turn, Mr. Hallowell, Mrs. Marsh, Gaylor, Rainey, Professor Strombergk entered the cabinet. With their knuckles they beat upon its sides. ”

“ But, it was still without feeling, without conviction.
"You cannot bribe your way into the next world," intoned the voice. "If you pity the poor, you must help the poor, not that you may cheat your way into heaven, but that they may suffer less. ”

“ From the cabinet the medium projects the spirit into the circle. An attack upon the spirit, is an attack upon the medium. There are three or four well authenticated cases where the disembodied spirit was cut off from the cabinet, and the medium died."
He drew the velvet curtains across the cabinet, and shut Vera from view. "Are you ready, Mr. Hallowell?" ”

“ Hallowell nodded.
"Then, the three gentlemen chosen will please come to the cabinet."
Vance, his manner now that of a master of ceremonies, assigned to each person the seat he or she was to occupy. Miss Coates with satisfaction noted that only Mrs. Vance separated Lee from the electric switch.
"I must ask you," said Vance, "to keep the seats I have assigned to you. With us to-night are both favorable and unfavorable influences. And what I have tried to do in placing you, is to obtain the best psychic results." ”

“ Vance took these from him, and Mannie hurriedly slipped into his chair in front of the organ.
"Gentlemen," explained Vance, "you will use these ropes and scarfs to tie the medium. Also, as a further precaution against the least suspicion of fraud we will subject her to the most severe test known. In one hand she will hold this flour; the other will be filled with shot. This will make it impossible for her to tamper with the ropes."
He gave the two cups to Gaylor, and turned to Vera.
"Are you ready?" he asked. After a pause, the girl slightly inclined her head. ”