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indicted next。 No sir； I am here without any excuse whatsoever。
I am just interfering as a friend of this young lady。〃
〃Good；〃 commented Hallowell。 〃I'd be sorry to have my niece
array counsel against me especially such distinguished
counsel。 Sit down； Helen。〃
Miss Coates balanced herself on the edge of a chair and spoke in
cool； business…like tones； 〃Mr。 Hallowell；〃 she began； 〃I came。〃
〃Mr。 Hallowell？〃 objected her uncle。
〃Uncle Stephen；〃 Miss Coates again began； 〃I wish to be as brief
as possible。 I asked you to see me today because I hoped that by
talking things over we might avoid lawsuits and litigation。〃
Mr。 Hallowell nodded his approval。 〃Yes；〃 he said encouragingly。
〃I have told Mr。 Winthrop what the trouble is；〃 Miss Coates went
on； 〃and he agrees with me that I have been very unjustly
treated 〃
〃By whom？〃 interrupted Hallowell。
〃By you；〃 said his niece。
〃Wait； Helen；〃 commanded the old man。 〃Have you also told Mr。
Winthrop；〃 he demanded； 〃that I have made a will in your favor？
That； were I to die tonight； you would inherit ten millions of
dollars？ Is that the injustice of which you complain？〃
Judge Gaylor gave an exclamation of pleasure。
〃Good！〃 he applauded。 〃Excellent！〃
Hallowell turned indignantly to Winthrop。 〃And did she tell you
also；〃 he demanded； 〃that for three years I have urged her to
make a home in this house？ That I have offered her an income as
large as I would give my own daughter； and that she has refused
both offers。 And what's more〃 in his excitement his voice
rose hysterically 〃by working publicly for her living she has
made me appear mean and uncharitable； and 〃
〃That's just it；〃 interrupted Miss Coates。 〃It isn't a question
of charity。〃
〃Will you allow me？〃 said Winthrop soothingly。 〃Your niece
contends； sir；〃 he explained； 〃that this money you offered her
is not yours to offer。 She claims it belongs to her。 That it's
what should have been her father's share of the profits on the
Coates…Hallowell coupling pin。 But； as you have willed your
niece so much money； although half of it is hers already； I
advised her not to fight。 Going to law is an expensive business。
But she has found out and that's what brings me uptown this
morning that you intend to make a new will； and leave all her
money and your own to establish the Hallowell Institute。 Now；〃
Winthrop continued； with a propitiating smile； 〃Miss Coates also
would like to be a philanthropist； in her own way； with her own
money。 And she wishes to warn you that； unless you deliver up
what is due her； she will proceed against you。〃
Judge Gaylor was the first to answer。
〃Mr。 Winthrop；〃 he said impressively； 〃I give you my word； there
is not one dollar due Miss Coates； except what Mr。 Hallowell
pleases to give her。 〃
Miss Coates contradicted him sharply。 〃That is not so；〃 she
said。 She turned to her uncle； 〃You and my father；〃 she
declared； 〃agreed in writing you would share the profits
always。〃 Mr。 Hallowell looked from his niece to his lawyer。 The
lawyer； eyeing him apprehensively； nodded。 With the patient
voice of one who tried to reason with an unreasonable child； Mr。
Hallowell began。 〃Helen；〃 he said； 〃I have told you many times
there never was such an agreement。 There was a verbal 〃
〃And I repeat； I saw it；〃 said Miss Coates。
〃When？〃 asked Hallowell。
〃I saw it first when I was fifteen；〃 answered the young woman
steadily； 〃and two years later； before mother died； she showed
it to me again。 It was with father's papers。〃
〃Miss Coates；〃 asked the Judge； 〃where is this agreement now？〃
For a moment Miss Coates hesitated。 Her dislike for Gaylor was
so evident that； to make it less apparent； she lowered her eyes。
〃My uncle should be able to tell you；〃 she said evenly。 〃He was
my father's executor。 But； when he returned my father's papers〃
she paused and then； although her voice fell to almost a
whisper； continued defiantly； 〃the agreement was not with them。〃
There was a moment's silence。 To assure himself the others had
heard as he did； Mr。 Hallowell glanced quickly from Winthrop to
Gaylor。 He half rose from his chair and leaned across the table。
〃What！〃 he demanded。 His niece looked at him steadily。
〃You heard what I said；〃 she answered。
The old man leaned farther forward。
〃So！〃 he cried； 〃so！ I am not only doing you an injustice； but I
am a thief！ Mr。 Winthrop；〃 he cried appealingly； 〃do you
appreciate the seriousness of this？〃
Winthrop nodded cheerfully。 〃It's certainly pretty serious；〃 he
assented。
〃It is so serious；〃 cried Mr。 Hallowell； 〃that I welcome you
into this matter。 Now； we will settle it once and forever。〃 He
turned to his niece。 〃I have tried to be generous；〃 he cried； 〃I
have tried to be kind； and you insult me in my own house。〃 He
pressed the button that summoned the butler from the floor
below。 〃Gentlemen； this interview is at an end。 From now on this
matter is in the hands of my lawyer。 We will settle this in the
courts。〃
With an exclamation of pleasure that was an acceptance of his
challenge； Miss Coates rose。
〃That is satisfactory to me；〃 she said。 Winthrop turned to Mr。
Hallowell。
〃Could I have a few minutes talk with Judge Gaylor now？〃 he
asked。 〃Not as anybody's counsel；〃 he explained； 〃just as an old
enemy of his？〃
〃Well； not here；〃 protested the old man querulously。 〃I'm I'm
expecting some friends here。 Judge； take Mr。 Winthrop to the
drawing room downstairs。〃 He turned to Garrett； who had appeared
in answer to his summons； and told him to bring Dr。 Rainey to
the library。 The butler left the room and； as Gaylor and
Winthrop followed； the latter asked Miss Coates if he might
expect to see her at the 〃Office。〃 She told him that she was now
on her way there。 Without acknowledging the presence of her
uncle； she had started to follow the others； when Mr。 Hallowell
stopped her。
After they were alone； for a moment he sat staring at her； his
eyes filled with dislike and with a suggestion of childish
spite。 〃I might as well tell you；〃 he began； 〃that after what
you said this morning； I will never give you a single dollar of
my money。〃
The tone in which his niece replied to him was no more
conciliatory than his own。 〃You cannot give it to me；〃 she
answered； 〃because it is not yours to give。〃 As though to add
impressiveness to what she was about to say； or to prevent his
interrupting her； she raised her hand。 So interested in each
other were the old man and the girl that neither noticed the
appearance in the door of Dr。 Rainey and the butler； who halted；
hesitating； waiting permission to enter。
〃That money belongs to me；〃 said Miss Coates slowly； 〃and as
sure as my mother is in Heaven and her spirit is guiding me；
that money will be given me。〃
In the pause that followed； a swift and singular change came
over the face of Mr。 Hallowell。 He stared at his niece as though
fascinated。 His lower lip dropped in awe。 The look of hostility
gave way to one of intense interest。 His voice was hardly louder
than a whisper。
〃What do you mean？〃 he demanded。
The girl looked at him； uncomprehending。 〃What do I mean？〃 she
repeated。
〃When you said；〃 he stammered eagerly； 〃that the spirit of your
mother was guiding you； what did you mean？〃
In the doorway； Rainey and the butler started。 Each threw the
other a quick glance of concern。
〃Why；〃 exclaimed the girl impatiently； 〃her influence； her
example； what she taught me。〃
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed the old man。 He leaned back with an air almost
of disappointment。
〃When she was alive？〃 he said。
〃Of course；〃 answered the girl。
〃Of course；〃 repeated the uncle。 〃I thought you meant 〃 He
looked suspiciously at her and shook his head。 〃Never mind；〃 he
added。 〃Well；〃 he went on cynically； striving to cover up the
embarrassment of the moment； 〃your mother's spirit will probably
feel as deep an interest in her brother as in her daughter。 We
shall see； we shall see which of us two she is going to help。〃
He turned to Garrett and Rainey in the hall。 〃Take my niece to
the door； Garrett；〃 he directed。
As soon as Miss Coates had disappeared； Hallowell turned to
Rainey； his face lit with pleased and childish anticipation。
〃Well；〃 he whispered eagerly； 〃is she here？〃
Rainey nodded and glanced in the direction opposite to the one
Miss Coates had taken。 〃She's been waiting half an hour。 And the
Professor too。〃
〃Bring them at once；〃 commanded Mr。 Hallowell excitedly。 〃And
then shut the door and and tell the Judge I can't see him
tell him I'm too tired to see him。 Understand？〃
Rainey peered cautiously over the railing of the stairs to the
first floor； and then beckoned to some one who apparently was
waiting at the end of the hall。
〃Miss Vera； sir；〃 he announced； 〃and Professor Vance。〃
Although but lately established in New York； the persons Dr。
Rainey introduced had already made themselves comparatively
well…known。 For the last six weeks as 〃headliners〃 at one of the
vaudeville theatres； and as entertainers at private houses；
under the firm name of 〃The Vances；〃 they had been giving an
exhibition of code and cipher signaling。 They called it mind
reading。 During the day； at