Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-13
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Cepyrisht. 1917, Tho Bobbs
(CHAPTER xxv.-Continued.)
She looked around at the others
with the eyes of cornered cat. Then
she dropped back into her chair.
Very WE'LL" she srifred, "I'll do 1t.
I'll deny my faith to preserve my USE
fulness. And God will punish YOU"
The granite face of Doctor Imman-
uel Paulus relaxed into a grim smile.
The press, in America" said he.
That's fine weapon"
4 Mrs! Mail, having finally yielded,
emotion: and while Mr.. Tabor went
to bring his wife. the two doctors
rapidly discussed the precise needs of
the case, and with the mediums as
sistance formulated plan Of action. I
am bound to say that she entered into
the scheme as unreservidly as though
1t had been from the first her onw; sug.
costing eagerly how this and that de-
tail might best be managed, and show
ing familiarity with Mrs. Tabor's
trouble, and with nervous abnormality
in general, hardly less complete and
practical than theirs. Presently we
heard the voicessof the others in the
hall, and she went quietly out to meet
them, Then came confused blur of
tones, Mrs. Tabors In timid protest
and Shefla and Lady in reinsurance;
then Mr.. Tabor, little louder than the
rest: mot in the least, my dear. Why
should I? You should have told me
all about it from the first" Then the
voices grew quieter, and at last blunted
into silence behind the heavy curtains
of the liv1ng-room. We waited an in,
terminable five minutes gazing into
one another's rigid faces, and hearing
only the restless movement of Ried.
At last, Doctor Paulus nodded at us,
and we tiptoed noiselessly across the
hall to where around the edges of the
close.drawn curtains we could hear
and see.
At little card table, drawn out into
the center of the floor, sat Mrs. Tabor
and the medium, face to face. Be-
TWEEN them and beyond the table was
Mr.. Tabor; Lady sat on her mothers
nearer side, and Sheila, with her back
to MS, completed the circle. They were
all leaning forwerd intently, something
in the attitude of people saying grace
before meal The windows were not
covered, but the dull light of the late
and stormy afternoon came inward
only as a leaden grayness, in which
faces and the details Of the surround
ings were heavily and vaguely visible,
like shadows Of themselves. In the
window at the far end of the room, the
canary hoped carelessly about his
cage, with an occasional cricket-like
chirp; and but for this the house was
q,Iiet enough for us to hear the swish
OF wind along the leaves of the vine:
covered veranda and the ripple of the
rain upon the glass.
" knew now that my excited sensa-
lions at the previous sittings must have
been imaginary In their origin for
even here, in the presence of this open
and prearranged imposture, felt the
same curious sense OF tension, the
same intimacy as OF surrounding
crowd, the same oppressive heaviness
of the atmosphere. I could hardly be-
lieve in the airy spaciousness Of the
high room, or the physical distance be-
tween me and my fellow-watchers. My
breath came laboriously, and I Won
dered how those within could fail to
hear the slow pounding of my heart
and the rustic of our heavy breathing
behind the curtain. Out Of the corner
OF my eye, saw Reid raise his brows
toward his superior, and he answered
by frowning nod At last after an in
terval doubtless far shorter than be-
fore, but interminable to our strained
anticipation the medium shuddered
slightly. and fell back in her chair.
Her face twisted convulsively. and
her hands and head made little witch
ing, aimless movements, unpleasantly
like the refexiye spasms Of a dying
animal. She moaned softly once or
twice. then relaxed Imply; and the
voice of Miriam began to speak.
Here I Internationally did--you
bring me here?"
Mr.. Tabor leaned back, his white
brows drawn into savage knot.
Sheila covered her eyes and fell to
rocking slowly to and fro. Lady made
no sign; but knew what sacri'ege it
was to her, and could hardly hold my
self. Yet the mother answered with
out regarding them.
81 like to have you near me, dearest.
Does this place trouble your
"Why should it-trouble me?-As
well-here- as anywhere-Nothing
matters--to me"
That's more like yourself than any,
thing I've heard you say--George, did
you hear? Can you doubt now after
that?"
Her husband answered only with a
gesture, and the voice went on.
"Are you-sure you know me,
mother?'
The two scientists exchanged
elances. Mrs. Tabor began hurried
protest. but the voice interrupted.
because you may be-only imagin-
ing-it may not be real
The querulous throaty tone was the
same. but the words came each time
more quickly, and the wall was dying
out Of them. The comic aspect of the
whole scene struck me suddenly with
revolving. 1t was so terribly important
and at the same time such tawdry
practical joke.
miriam, what are you saying?" Mrs.
city jail to be poorly ventilated and to
I. -, ,,ropor CAN'T alton o. IF Won feel