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day politeness。 Her voice was even and steady。
〃You have been misinformed；〃 she said； 〃there will be no seance
tonight。〃
Vance turned to Vera； and； in a voice lower than her own； but
sufficiently loud to include Miss Coates； said： 〃I don't think
we told you that Mr。 Hallowell himself insists that this lady
and her friends be present。〃
〃Her presence makes no difference；〃 said Vera quietly。 〃There
will be no seance tonight。 I will tell you about it later；
Paul；〃 she added。 She started toward the door； but Miss Coates
moved as though to intercept her。
〃If you think；〃 she cried eagerly； 〃you can give a seance to Mr。
Hallowell without my knowing it； you are mistaken。〃
Vera paused； and made a slight inclination of her head。
〃That was not my idea；〃 she said。 She looked appealingly to
Vance。 〃Is that not enough； Paul？〃 she asked。
〃Quite enough！〃 exclaimed the man。 He turned to the visitor and
made a curt movement of the hand toward the open door。
〃There will be a seance tonight；〃 he declared。 〃At Mr。
Hallowell's。 If you wish to protest against it； you can do so
there。 This is my house。 If you have finished 〃 He repeated
the gesture toward the open door。
〃I have not finished；〃 said Miss Coates sharply； 〃and if you
take my advice； you will follow her example。〃 With a nod of the
head she signified Vera。 〃When she sees she's in danger； she
knows enough to stop。 This is not a question of a few medium's
tricks；〃 she cried； contemptuously。 〃I know all that you planned
to do； and I intend that tomorrow every one in New York shall
know it too。〃
Like a cloak Vera's self…possession fell from her。 In alarm she
moved forward。
〃What do you mean？〃 she demanded。
〃I have had you people followed pretty closely；〃 said Miss
Coates。 Her tone was assured。 She was confident that of those
before her she was the master； and that of that fact they were
aware。
〃I know；〃 she went on； 〃just how you tried to impose upon my
uncle how you tried to rob me； and tonight I have invited the
reporters to my house to give them the facts。〃
With a cry Vera ran to her。
〃No！〃 she begged； 〃you won't do that。 You must not do that！〃
〃Let her talk！〃 growled Vance。 〃Let her talk！ She's funny。〃
〃No！〃 commanded Vera。 Her voice rang with the distress。 〃She
cannot do that！〃 She turned to Miss Coates。 〃We haven't hurt
you；〃 she pleaded； 〃we haven't taken your money。 I promise you；〃
she cried；〃 we will never see Mr。 Hallowell again。 I beg of you
〃
Vance indignantly caught her by the arm and drew her back。 〃You
don't beg nothing of her！〃 he cried。
〃I do；〃 Vera answered wildly。 She caught Vance's hand in both of
hers。 〃I have a chance； Paul；〃 she entreated； 〃don't force me
through it again。 I can't stand the shame of it again。〃 Once
more she appealed to the visitor。 〃Don't！〃 she begged。 〃Don't
shame me。〃
But the eyes of the older girl； blind to everything save what；
as she saw it； was her duty； showed no consideration。
Vera's hands； trembling on his arm； drove Vance to deeper anger。
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 br