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her husband and of herself； the preoccupied manner with which
Vera received them did not provoke in Mabel any resentment。 It
rather increased her approbation。 Although horrified at the
recklessness of the girl； she had approved even when Vera
rejected an offer of marriage from a wine agent。
Secretly； for a proper alliance for her； Mabel read the society
columns in search of eligible； rich young men。 Finding that they
invariably married eligible； rich young women； she had lately
determined that Vera's destiny must be an English duke。
Still if； as she hoped； Vera had chosen for herself； Mabel felt
assured that the man would prove worthy； and a good match。 A
good match meant one who owned not only a runabout； but a
touring car。
〃It's a man from home；〃 said Vera。 〃Home？〃 queried Mannie。
〃From up the State；〃 explained Vera； 〃from Geneva。 It's Mr。
Winthrop。〃
With an exclamation of alarm； Mannie started upright。
〃Winthrop！〃 he cried； then with a laugh of relief he sank back。
〃Gee！ You give me a scare；〃 he cried。 〃I thought you meant the
District Attorney。〃
Mabel laughed sympathetically。
〃I thought so too；〃 she admitted。
〃I do mean the District Attorney；〃 said the girl。
〃Vera！〃 cried Mabel。
〃Winthrop coming here？〃 demanded Mannie。
〃I met him at Mr。 Hallowell's this morning；〃 said Vera。 〃Didn't
Paul tell you？〃
〃Paul ain't back yet；〃 said Mannie。 〃I wish he was！〃 His lower
jaw dropped in dazed bewilderment。 〃Winthrop coming here？〃 he
repeated。 〃And they're all coming here！〃 he exclaimed excitedly。
〃Paul just phoned me。 They've taken Gaylor in with them； and
we're all working together now on some game for tonight。 And
Winthrop's coming here！〃 He shook his head decidedly；
importantly。 As the only man of the family present； he felt he
must meet this crisis。 〃Paul won't stand for it！〃 he declared。
〃Well； Paul will just have to stand for it！〃 retorted Mrs。
Vance。
With a murmur of sympathy she crossed to Vera。 〃I'm not going to
see our Vera disappointed；〃 she announced。 〃She never sees no
company。 Vera； if Mr。 Winthrop comes when that bunch is here；
I'll show him into the front parlor。〃
Vera sat down in front of the piano and let her fingers drop
upon the keys。 The look of eagerness and anticipation had left
her eyes。
〃Oh； I don't know；〃 she said； 〃that I want to see him now。〃
With complete misunderstanding； Mannie demanded truculently；
〃Why not？〃 His loyalty to Vera gave him courage； in her behalf；
to face even a District Attorney。 〃He doesn't think he's coming
here to make trouble for you； does he？〃
Vera shook her head and； bending over the piano； struck a few
detached chords。
〃Oh； no；〃 she said consciously； 〃just to see me
professionally like everybody else。〃
Mabel could no longer withhold her indignation at the obtuseness
of the masculine intellect。
〃My gracious； Mannie！〃 she exclaimed； 〃can't you understand he's
coming here to make a call on Vera like a gentleman not
like no District Attorney。〃
Mannie precipitately retreated from his position as champion。
〃Sure； I understand；〃 he protested。
With the joy that a match…making mother takes in the hunt； Mabel
sank into the plush rocking chair and； rocking violently； turned
upon Vera an eager and excited smile。
〃Think of our Vera knowing Mr。 Winthrop socially？〃 she
exclaimed。 〃It's grand！ And they say his sisters are elegant
ladies。 Last winter I read about them at the opera； and it
always printed what they had on。 Why didn't you tell me you
knowed him； Vera？〃 she cried reproachfully。 〃I tell you
everything！〃
〃I don't know him；〃 protested the girl。 〃I used to see him when
he lived in the same town。〃
Mabel； inviting further confidences； ceased rocking and nodded
encouragingly。 〃Up in Geneva？〃 she prompted。
〃Yes；〃 said Vera； 〃I used to see him every afternoon then； when
he played ball on the college nine 〃
〃Who？〃 demanded Mannie incredulously。
〃Winthrop；〃 said Vera。
〃Did he？〃 exclaimed Mannie。 His tone suggested that he might
still be persuaded that there was good in the man。
〃What'd he play？〃 he demanded suspiciously。
〃First；〃 said Vera。
〃Did he！〃 exclaimed Mannie。 His tone now was of open
approbation。
Vera had raised her eyes and turned them toward the windows。
Beyond the soot… stained sumach tree； the fire escapes of the
department store； she saw the sun… drenched campus； the
buttressed chapel； the ancient； drooping elms； and on a canvas
bag； poised like a winged Mercury； a tall straight figure in
gray； dusty flannels。
〃He was awfully good…looking；〃 murmured the girl； 〃and awfully
tall。 He could stop a ball as high as that！〃 She raised her
arm in the air； and then； suddenly conscious； flushed； and
turned to the piano。
〃Go on； tell us；〃 urged Mabel。 〃So you first met him in Geneva；
did you？〃
〃No；〃 corrected Vera； 〃saw him there。 I only met him once。〃
Mannie interrupted hilariously。
〃I only saw him once； too；〃 he cried； 〃that was enough for me。〃
Vera swiftly spun the piano stool so that she faced him。 Her
eyes were filled with concern。
〃You； Mannie！〃 she demanded anxiously。 〃What had you done？〃
〃Done！〃 exclaimed Mannie indignantly； 〃nothing！ What'd you think
I'd done？ Did you think I was a crook？〃
Vera bowed her shoulders and shivered as though the boy had
cursed at her。 She shook her head vehemently and again swung
back to the piano。 Stumbling awkwardly； her fingers ran over the
keys in a swift clatter of broken chords。 〃No；〃 she whispered；
〃no； Mannie； no。〃
With a laugh of delighted recollection； Mannie turned to Mabel。
〃He raided a poolroom I was working at；〃 he explained。 〃He
picked me out as a sheet writer because I had my coat off； see？
I told him I had it off because it was too hot for me； and he
says； Young man； if you lie to me； I'll make I a damn sight
hotter！〃 Mannie threw back his head and shouted uproariously。
〃He's all right； Winthrop！〃 he declared。
Mabel； having already married Winthrop to Vera in Grace Church；
with herself in the front pew； in a blue silk dress； received
this unexpected evidence of his rare wit with delight。 In
ecstasy of appreciation she slapped her knees。
〃Did he say that； Mannie？〃 she cried。 〃Wasn't that quick of him！
Did you hear what he said to Mannie； Vera？〃 she demanded。
Their mirth was interrupted by the opening and closing of the
front door and； in the hall； the murmur of men's voices。
Vance opened the door from the hall and entered； followed by
Judge Gaylor and Rainey。 With evident pride in her appearance；
Vance introduced the two men to his wife； and then sent her and
Mannie from the room the latter with orders to dismiss the
visitors in the front parlor and to admit no others。
At the door Mrs。 Vance turned to Vera and nodded mysteriously。
〃If that party calls；〃 she said with significance； 〃I'll put him
in the front parlor。〃 With a look of dismay； Vera vehemently
shook her head but； to forestall any opposition； Mrs。 Vance
hastily slammed the door behind her。
In his most courteous manner Judge Gaylor offered the chair at
the head of the centre table to Vera； and at the same table
seated himself。 Vance took a place on the piano stool； Rainey
stood with his back to the mantel piece。
〃Miss Vera；〃 Gaylor began impressively； 〃I desire to apologize
for my language this morning。 As Rainey no doubt has told you； I
have opposed you and Professor Vance。 But I I know when I'm
beaten。 Your influence with Mr。 Hallowell today is greater
than mine。 It is paramount。 I congratulate you。〃 He smiled
ingratiatingly。 〃And now；〃 he added； 〃we are all working in
unison。〃
〃You've given up your idea of sending me to jail；〃 said Vera。
〃Vera！〃 exclaimed Vance reprovingly。 Judge Gaylor has
apologized。 We're all in harmony now。〃
〃Is that door locked？〃 asked Gaylor。 Vance told him； save Mrs。
Vance； Mannie； and themselves； there was none in the house； and
that he might speak freely。
〃Miss Vera；〃 began the Judge； 〃we left Mr。 Hallowell very much
impressed with the message you gave him this morning。 The
message from his dead sister。 He wants another message from her。
He wants her to decide how he shall dispose of a very large sum
of money his entire fortune。〃
〃His entire fortune！〃 exclaimed Vera。 〃Do you imagine；〃 she
asked； 〃that Mr。 Hallowell will take advice from the spirit
world about that？ I don't！〃
〃I do；〃 Gaylor answered stoutly； 〃I know I would。〃
〃You？〃 asked Vera incredulously。
〃If I could believe my sister came from the dead to tell me what
to do；〃 said the lawyer； 〃of course； I'd do it。 I'd be afraid
not to。 But I don't believe he does。 And he believes you can
bring his sister herself before him。 He insists that tonight you
hold a seance in his house； and that you materialize the spirit
of his dead sister。 So that he can see his sister； and talk with
his sister。 Vance says you can do that。 Can you？〃
From Vera's face the look of girlishness； of happy anticipation；
had already disappeared。
〃It is my business to do that；〃 the girl answered。 She turned to
Vance and； in a matter…of…fact voice； inquired； 〃What does his
sister look like that photograph we used this morning。？〃
〃No；