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that so？〃
The bewilderment of Judge Gaylor was complete and； without
question； genuine。
〃I don't know what you mean；〃 he said。
〃My informant tells me；〃 continued the reporter； 〃that Mr。
Hallowell has embraced if that's what you call it
spiritualism。〃
Gaylor started forward。
〃What！〃 he roared。
Unmoved； the other regarded the Judge keenly。
〃Spiritualism；〃 he repeated； 〃and that a bunch of these mediums
have got him so hypnotized he can't call his soul his own； or
his money； either。 Is that true？〃
Judge Gaylor's outburst was overwhelming。 That it was genuine
Mr。 Lee； observing him closely； was convinced。
〃Of all the outrageous； ridiculous〃 the judge halted； gasping
for words 〃and libelous statements！〃 he went on。 〃If you
print that；〃 he thundered； 〃Mr。 Hallowell will sue your paper
for half a million dollars。 Can't you see the damage you would
do？ Can't your people see that if the idea got about that he was
unable to direct his own affairs； that he was in the hands of
mediums； it would invalidate everything he does？ After his
death； every act of his at this time； every paper he had signed；
would be suspected； and and〃 stammered the Judge as his
imagination pictured what might follow 〃they might even
attack his will！〃 He advanced truculently。 〃Do you mean to
publish this libel？〃
Lee moved his shoulders in deprecation。 〃I'm afraid we must；〃 he
said。
〃You must！〃 demanded Gaylor。 〃After what I've told you？ Do you
think I'm lying to you？〃
〃No；〃 said the reporter； 〃I don't think you are。 Looks more like
you didn't know。〃
〃Not know？ I？〃 Gaylor laughed hysterically。 〃I am his lawyer。 I
am his best friend！ Who will you believe？〃 He stepped to the
table and pressed an electric button； and Garrett appeared in
the hall。 〃Tell Dr。 Rainey I want to see him；〃 Gaylor commanded；
〃and return with him。〃
As they waited； Judge Gaylor paced quickly to and fro。 〃I've had
to deny some pretty silly stories about Mr。 Hallowell；〃 he said；
〃but of all the absurd； malicious … … There's some enemy back of
this； some one in Wall Street is doing this。 But I'll find him
I'll 〃 he was interrupted by the entrance of the butler
and Dr。 Rainey； Mr。 Hallowell's personal physician。
Rainey was a young man with a weak face； and knowing； shifting
eyes that blinked behind a pair of eyeglasses。 To conceal an
indecision of character of which he was quite conscious； he
assumed a manner that； according to whom he addressed； was
familiar or condescending。 At one of the big hospitals he had
been an ambulance surgeon and resident physician； later he had
started upon a somewhat doubtful career as a medical 〃expert。〃
Only two years had passed since the police and the reporters of
the Tenderloin had ceased calling him 〃Doc。〃 In a celebrated
criminal case in which Gaylor had acted as chief counsel； he had
found Rainey complaisant and apparently totally without the
moral sense。 And when in Garrett he had discovered for Mr。
Hallowell a model servant； he had also urged upon his friend；
for his resident physician； his protege Rainey。
Still at white heat； the older man began abruptly： 〃This
gentleman is from the Republic。 He is going to publish a story
that Mr。 Hallowell has fallen under the influence of mediums；
clairvoyants； that everything he does is on advice from the
spirit world 〃 he turned sharply upon Lee。 〃Is that right？〃
The reporter nodded。
〃You can see the effect of such a story。 It would invalidate
every act of Mr。 Hallowell's！〃
Dr。 Rainey laughed offensively。
〃It might；〃 he said； 〃but who'd believe it？〃
〃He believes it！〃 cried Gaylor； 〃or he pretends to believe it。
Tell him！〃 he commanded。 〃He won't believe me。 Does Mr。
Hallowell associate with mediums； and spirits and spooks？〃
Again the young doctor laughed。
〃Of course not！〃 he exclaimed。 〃It's not worth answering； Judge。
You ought to treat it with silent contempt。〃 From behind his
glasses he winked at the reporter with a jocular； intimate
smile。 He was adapting himself to what he imagined was his
company。 〃Where did you pick up that pipe dream？〃 he asked。
Without answering； the Southerner regarded him steadily with
inquiring； interested eyes。 The doctor coughed nervously and
turned to Judge Gaylor。 In the manner of a cross…examination
Gaylor called up his next witness。
〃Garrett； does any one visit Mr。 Hallowell without your
knowledge？〃 he asked。 You may not open the door for him； but you
know every one who gets in to see Mr。 Hallowell； do you not？〃
〃Every one； sir。〃
〃Do you admit any mediums； palm…readers； or people of that
sort？〃
〃Certainly not；〃 returned the butler。
〃Dr。 Rainey；〃 he added； 〃would not permit it； sir。〃
Gaylor stamped his foot with impatience。
〃Do you admit any one；〃 he demanded； 〃without Dr。 Rainey's
permission？〃
〃No； sir！〃 The reply could not have rung with greater emphasis。
Triumphantly； Gaylor； with a wave of the hand； as though saying；
〃Take the witness；〃 turned to Lee。 〃There you are；〃 he cried。
〃Now； are you satisfied？〃
The reporter moved slowly toward the door。 〃I am satisfied；〃 he
said； 〃that the man doesn't admit any one without Dr。 Rainey's
permission。〃
Indignantly； as though to intercept him； Judge Gaylor stepped
forward。 Both Rainey and himself spoke together。
〃What do you mean by that？〃 Rainey demanded。
〃Are you trying to be insolent； sir？〃 cried the Judge。
Lee smiled pleasantly。 〃I had no intention of being insolent；〃
he said。 〃We have the facts I only came to give you a chance
to explain them。〃
Gaylor lost all patience。
〃What facts？〃 he shouted。 〃What facts？ That mediums come here？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Lee。
〃When？〃 Gaylor cried。 〃Tell me that！ When？〃
Lee regarded the older man thoughtfully。
〃Well； today is Thursday；〃 he said。 〃They were here Monday
morning； and Tuesday morning and the one they call Vera
will be here in half an hour。〃
Rainey ran across the room； stretching out eager； detaining
hands。
〃See here！〃 he begged。 〃We can fix this！〃
〃Fix it？〃 said the reporter。 〃Not with me； you can't。〃 He turned
to the door and found Garrett barring his exit。 He halted； fell
back on his heels； and straightened his shoulders。 For the first
time they saw how tall he was。
〃Get out of my way；〃 he said。 The butler hesitated and fell
back。 Lee walked into the hall。
〃I'll leave you gentlemen to fight it out among you；〃 he said。
〃It's a better story than I thought。〃
As he descended to the floor below； the men remained motionless。
The face of Judge Gaylor seemed to have grown older。 When the
front door closed； he turned and searched the countenance of
each of his companions。 The butler had dropped into a chair
muttering and beating his fist into his open palm。
Gaylor's voice was hardly louder than a whisper。 〃Is this true？〃
he asked。
Like a cur dog pinned in a corner and forced to fight； Rainey
snarled at him evilly。 〃Of course it's true；〃 he said。
〃You've let these people see him！〃 cried Gaylor。 〃After I
forbade it？ After I told you what would happen？〃
〃He would see them；〃 Rainey answered hotly。 〃Twas better I
chose them than 〃
Gaylor raised his clenched hands and took a sudden step forward。
The Doctor backed hastily against the library table。 〃Don't you
come near me！〃 he stammered。 〃Don't you touch me。〃
〃And you've lied to me！〃 cried Gaylor。 〃You've deceived me。 You
you jailbirds you idiots。〃 His voice rose hysterically。
〃And do you think；〃 he demanded fiercely； 〃I'll help you now？〃
〃No！〃 said the butler。
The word caught the Judge in the full rush of his anger。 He
turned stupidly as though he had not heard aright。 〃What？〃 he
asked。 From the easy chair the butler regarded him with sullen；
hostile eyes。
〃No！〃 he repeated。 〃We don't think you'll help us。 You never
meant to help us。 You've never thought of any one but yourself。〃
The face of the older man was filled with reproach。
〃Jim！〃 he protested。
〃Don't do that！〃 commanded the butler sharply。 〃I've told you
not to do that。〃
The Judge moved his head slowly in amazement。 The tone of
reproach was still in his voice。
〃I thought you could understand；〃 he said。 〃It doesn't matter
about him。 But you！ You should have seen what I was doing！〃
〃I saw what you were doing；〃 the butler replied。 〃Buying stocks；
buying a country place。 You didn't wait for him to die。 What
were we getting？〃
With returning courage； Rainey nodded vigorously。
〃That's right； all right；〃 he protested。 〃What were we getting？〃
〃What were you getting？〃 demanded Gaylor； eagerly。 〃If you'd
only left him to me； till he signed the new will； you'd have had
everything。 It only needs his signature。〃
〃Yes；〃 interrupted Garrett contemptuously； that's all it needs。〃
〃Oh； he'd have signed it！〃 cried Gaylor。 〃But what's it worth
now！ Nothing！ Thanks to you two nothing！ They'll claim undue
influence； they'll claim he signed it under the influence of
mediums of ghosts。〃 His voice shook with anger and distress。
〃You've ruined me！〃 he cried。 〃You've ruined me。〃
He turned and paced from them； his fingers interlacing； his
teeth biting upon his lower lip。 The two other men glanced at
each other uncomfortably