vera, the medium-第14部分

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a　medical　college；　when　you　were　in　jail；　you　　〃　〃Stop　that！〃
cried　Gaylor。　Glancing　fearfully　toward　the　open　door；　he
interposed　between　them。

〃Don't　take　my　advice；　then；〃　cried　Rainey。　〃Go　on！　Kill　him！
And　he　won't　sign　your　will。　Only；　don't　say　I　didn't　tell　you。〃

〃Have　you　told　him？〃　demanded　Gaylor。

〃Yes；〃　Rainey　answered　stoutly。　〃Told　him　if　he　didn't　stop
this；　he　wouldn't　live　till　morning。〃

〃Are　we　forcing　him　to　do　this？〃　demanded　Gaylor。　〃No！　He's
forcing　it　on　us。　My　God！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃do　you　think　I　want
this　farce？　You　say；　yourself；　you　told　him　it　would　kill　him；
and　he　will　go　on　with　it。　Then　why　do　you　blame　us？　Can　we　help
ourselves？〃

The　butler　had　distinguished　the　sounds　of　footsteps　in　the
hall。　He　fell　hastily　to　rearranging　the　camp　chairs。

〃Hush！〃　he　warned。　〃Look　out！〃　Gaylor　and　Rainey　had　but　time　to
move　apart；　when　Winthrop　entered。　He　regarded　the　three　men
with　a　smile　of　understanding。

〃I　beg　pardon；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I　am　interrupting？〃

Gaylor　greeted　him　with　exaggerated　heartiness。

〃Ah；　it　is　Mr。　Winthrop！〃　he　cried。　〃Have　you　come　to　help　us
find　out　the　truth　this　evening？〃

〃I　certainly　hope　not！〃　said　Winthrop　brusquely。　〃I　know　the
truth　about　too　many　people　already。〃　He　turned　to　Garrett；　who；
unobtrusively；　was　endeavoring　to　make　his　escape。

〃I　want　to　see　Miss　Vera；〃　he　said。

〃Miss　Vera；〃　interposed　Gaylor。　〃I'm　afraid　that's　not　possible。
She　especially　asked　not　to　be　disturbed　before　the　seance。　I'm
sorry。〃

Winthrop's　manner　became　suspiciously　polite。

〃Yes？〃　he　inquired。　〃Well；　nevertheless　I　think　I'll　ask　her。
Tell　Miss　Vera；　please；〃　he　said　to　Garrett；　〃that　Mr。　Winthrop
would　like　a　word　with　her　here；〃　with　significance　he　added；
〃in　private。〃

In　offended　dignity；　Judge　Gaylor　moved　toward　the　door。　〃Dr。
Rainey；〃　he　said　stiffly；　〃will　you　please　inform　Mr。　Hallowell
that　his　guests　are　now　here；　and　that　I　have　gone　to　bring　them
upstairs。〃

〃Yes；　but　you　won't　bring　them　upstairs；　please；〃　said　Winthrop；
〃until　you　hear　from　me。〃

Gaylor　flushed　with　anger　and　for　a　moment　appeared　upon　the
point　of　mutiny。　Then；　as　though　refusing　to　consider　himself
responsible　for　the　manners　of　the　younger　man；　he　shrugged　his
shoulders　and　left　the　room。

With　even　less　of　consideration　than　he　had　shown　to　Judge
Gaylor；　Winthrop　turned　upon　Rainey。

〃How's　your　patient？〃　he　asked　shortly。　Rainey　was　sufficiently
influenced　by　the　liquor　he　had　taken　to　dare　to　resent
Winthrop's　peremptory　tone。　His　own　in　reply　was　designedly
offensive。

〃My　patient？〃　he　inquired。

〃Mr。　Hallowell；〃　snapped　Winthrop；　〃he's　sick；　isn't　he？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　returned　the　Doctor。

〃You　don't　know？〃　demanded　Winthrop。　〃Well；　I　know。　I　know　if　he
goes　through　this　thing　tonight；　he'll　have　another　collapse。　I
saw　one　this　morning。　Why　don't　you　forbid　it？　You're　his
medical　adviser；　aren't　you？〃

Rainey　remained　sullenly　silent。

〃Answer　me！〃　insisted　the　District　Attorney。　〃You　are；　aren't
you？〃

〃I　am；〃　at　last　declared　Rainey。

〃Well；　then；〃　commanded　Winthrop；　〃tell　him　to　stop　this。　Tell
him　I　advise　it。〃

Through　his　glasses　Rainey　blinked　violently　at　the　District
Attorney；　and　laughed。　〃I　didn't　know；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　were
a　medical　man。〃

Winthrop　looked　at　the　Doctor　so　steadily；　and　for　so　long
a　time；　that　the　eyes　of　the　young　man　sought　the　floor　and　the
ceiling；　and　his　sneer　changed　to　an　expression　of　discomfort。

〃I　am　not；〃　said　Winthrop。　〃I　am　the　District　Attorney　of　New
York。〃　His　tones　were　cold；　precise；　they　fell　upon　the
superheated　brain　of　Dr。　Rainey　like　drops　from　an　icicle。

〃When　I　took　over　that　office；〃　continued　Winthrop；　〃I　found　a
complaint　against　two　medical　students；　a　failure　to　report　the
death　of　an　old　man　in　a　private　sanitarium。〃

Winthrop　lowered　his　eyes；　and　became　deeply　absorbed　in　the
toe　of　his　boot。　〃I　haven't　looked　into　the　papers；　yet；〃　he
said。

Rainey；　swaying　slightly；　jerked　open　the　door　of　the　bedroom。
〃I'll　tell　him；〃　he　panted　thickly。　〃I'll　tell　him　to　do　as　you
say。〃

〃Thank　you；　I　wish　you　would；〃　said　Winthrop。

At　the　same　moment；　from　the　hall；　Garrett　announced；　〃Mrs。
Vance；　sir。〃　And　Mabel　Vance；　tremulous　and　frightened；　entered
the　room。

Winthrop　approached　her　eagerly。

〃Ah！　Mrs。　Vance；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃can　I　see　Miss　Vera？〃

Embarrassed　and　unhappy；　Mrs。　Vance　moved　restlessly　from
foot　to　foot；　and　shook　her　head。

〃Please；　Mr。　District　Attorney；〃　she　begged。　〃I'm　afraid　not。
This　afternoon　upset　her　so。　And　she's　so　nervous　and　queer
that　the　Professor　thinks　she　shouldn't　see　nobody。〃

〃The　Professor？〃　he　commented。　His　voice　was　considerate；
conciliatory。　〃Now；　Mrs。　Vance；〃　he　said；　〃I've　known　Miss
Vera　ever　since　she　was　a　little　girl；　known　her　longer　than
you　have；　and；　I'm　her　friend；　and　you're　her　friend；　and　　〃

〃I　am；〃　protested　Mabel　Vance　tearfully。〃Indeed　I　am！〃

〃I　know　you　are；〃　Winthrop　interrupted　hastily。
〃You've　been　more　than　a　friend　to　her；　you've　been　a　sister；
mother；　and　you　don't　want　any　trouble　to　come　to　her；　do　you？〃

〃I　don't；〃　cried　the　woman。　〃Oh！〃　she　exclaimed　miserably；　〃I
told　them　there'd　be　trouble！〃

Winthrop　laughed　reassuringly。

〃Well；　there　won't　be　any　trouble；〃　he　declared；　〃if　I　can　help
it。　And　if　you　want　to　help　her；　help　me。　Persuade　her　to　let
me　talk　to　her。　Don't　mind　what　the　Professor　says。〃

〃I　will；〃　declared　Mrs。　Vance　with　determination；　〃I　will。〃
She　started　eagerly　toward　the　hall；　and　then　paused　and
returned。　Her　hands　were　clasped；　her　round；　baby　eyes；　wet
with　tears；　were　fixed　upon　Winthrop　appealingly。

〃Oh；　please；〃　she　pleaded；　〃you're　not　going　to　hurt　him；　are
you？　Paul；　my　husband；〃　she　explained；　〃he's　been　such　a　good
husband　to　me。〃

Winthrop　laughed　uneasily。

〃Why；　that'll　be　all　right；〃　he　protested。

〃He　doesn't　mean　any　harm；　insisted　Mrs。　〃Vance；　〃he's　on　the
level；　true；　he　is！〃

〃Why；　of　course；　of　course；〃　Winthrop　assented。

Unsatisfied；　Mrs。　Vance　burst　into　tears。　〃It's　this　spirit
business　that　makes　the　trouble！〃　she　cried。　〃I　tell　them　to　cut
it　out。　Now；　the　mind　reading　at　the　theatre；〃　she　sobbed；
〃there's　no　harm　in　that；　is　there？　And　there's　twice　the　money
in　it。　But　this　ghost　raising〃　　she　raised　her　eyes
appealingly；　as　though　begging　to　be　contradicted　　〃it's　sure
to　get　him　into　trouble；　isn't　it？〃

Winthrop　shook　his　head；　and　smiled。

〃It　may；〃　he　said。　Mrs。　Vance　broke　into　a　fresh　outburst　of
tears。　〃I　knew　it；〃　she　cried；　〃I　knew　it。〃　Winthrop　placed
his　hand　upon　her　arm　and　turned　her　in　the　direction　of
the　door。

〃Don't　worry；：〃　he　said　soothingly。　〃Go　send　Miss　Vera
here。　And；〃　he　called　after　her；　〃don't　worry。〃

As　Mabel　departed　upon　his　errand；　Rainey　reentered　from　the
bedroom。　He　carefully　closed　the　door　and　halted　with　his　hand
upon　the　knob；　and　shook　his　head。

〃It's　no　use；〃　he　said；　〃he　will　go　on　with　it。　It's　not　my
fault；〃　he　whined；　〃I　told　him　it　would　kill　him。　I　couldn't
make　it　any　stronger　than　that；　could　I？〃

Rainey　was　not　looking　at　Winthrop；　but；　as　though　fearful　of
interruption；　toward　the　door。　His　eyes　were　harassed；　furtive；
filled　with　miserable　indecision。　Many　times　before　Winthrop　had
seen　men　in　such　a　state。　He　knew　that　for　the　sufferer　it
foretold　a　physical　break　down；　or　that　he　would　seek　relief　in
full　confession。　To　give　the　man　confidence；　he　abandoned　his
attitude　of　suspicion。

〃That　certainly　would　be　strong　enough　for　me；〃　he　said
cheerfully。　〃Did　you　tell　him　what　I　advised？〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　muttered　Rainey　impatiently。　〃He　said　you　were
invited　here　to　give　advice　to　his　niece；　not　to　him。〃　For　the
first　time　his　eyes　met　those　of　Winthrop　boldly。　The　District
Attorney　recognized　that　the　man　had　taken　his　fears　by　the
throat；　and　had　arrived　at　his　decision。〃

〃See　here；〃　exclaimed　Rainey；　〃could　I　give　you　some
information？〃

〃I'm　sure　you　could；〃　returned　Winthrop　briskly。　〃Give　it　to
me　now。〃

But　Rainey；　glancing　toward　the　door；　shrank　back。　Winthrop；
following　the　direction　of　his　eyes；　saw　Vera。　Impatiently　he
waved　Rainey　away。

〃At　the　office；　tomorrow　morning；〃　he　commanded。　With　a　sigh　of
relief　at　the　reprieve；　Rainey　slipped　back　into　the　bedroom。

Winthrop　had　persuaded　himself　that　in　seeking　to　speak　with
Vera；　he　was　making　only　a　natural　choice　between　preventing　the
girl　from　perpetrating　a　fraud；　or；　later；　for　that　fraud；
holding　her　to　account。　But　when　she　actually　stood　before　him；
he　recognized　how　absurdly　he　had　deceived　himself。　At　the　mere
physical　sight　of　her；　there　came　to　him　a　swift　relief；　a
thrill　of　peace　and　deep　content；　and　with　delighted　certainty
he　knew　that　what　Vera　might　do　or　might　not　do　concerned　him
not　at　all；　that　for　him　all　that　counted　was　the　girl　herself。
With　something　of　this　showing　in　his　face；　he　came　eagerly
toward　her。

〃Vera！〃　he　exclaimed。　In　the　word　there　was　delight；　wonder；
tenderness；　but　if　the　girl　recognized　this　she　concealed　her
knowledge。　Instead；　her　eyes　looked　into　his　frankly；　her　manner
was　that　of　open　friendliness。

〃Mabel　tells　me　you　want　to　talk　to　me；〃　she　said　evenly　〃but　I
don't　want　you　to。　I　have　something　I　want　to　say　to　you。　I
could　have　written　it；　but　this〃　　for　an　instant　the　girl
paused　with　her　lips　pressed　together；　when　she　spoke；　her　voice
carried　the　firmness　and　finality　of　one　delivering　a　verdict　
〃but　this；〃　she　repeated；　〃is　the　last　time　you　shall　hear　from
me；　or　see　me　again。〃

Winthrop　gave　an　exclamation　of　impatience；　of　indignation。

〃No；〃　returned　the　girl；　〃it　is　quite　final。　Maybe　you　will　not
want　to　see　me；　but　　〃

Winthrop　again　sharply　interrupted　her。　His　voice　was　filled
with　reproach。
〃Vera！〃　he　protested。

〃Well；〃　said　the　girl　more　gently；　〃I'm　glad　to　think　you　do；
but　this　is　the　last；　and　before　I　go；　I　　〃。

〃Go！〃　demanded　Winthrop　roughly。　〃Where？〃

〃Before　I　go；〃　continued　the　girl；　〃I　want　to　tell　you　how　much
you　have　helped　me　　I　want　to　thank　you　　〃。

〃You　haven't　let　me　thank　you；〃　broke　in　Winthrop；　〃and；　now；
you　pretend　this　is　our　last　meeting。　It's