Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1913-07-04

GAZING INTO The CRYSTAL al
end the spending OF the Charles for
tune. AS / worked in the darkness,
shielded by heavy curtains, heard
the voices Of the woman and Of the
supposed Alem Hail.
81 have brought you twice as much
money tonight the woman was say
ing. I want to see him longer.
want to talk to him about that thing
you have kept me from asking him
about-what became of him. want
you to let him come near me and let
me hold him in my arms. Won't you
do that? The woman's voice was pit
eous. Won't you let me-?
".Spirits are vague was the gut
tural answer Of the pseudo Hail
Spirits are vague.
"sBut you have promised-oh, so
many times. The spirits of life which
you said would bring him to me in
my dreams have not done it. Once
saw him-thOn he fitted away. You
let me talk to him and ask him If he
loves me. Why can't you let me ask
him what want to know-about that
other woman Halls voice seemed
queer. It was choking.
Tonight came his reply at last,
you can see him and talk to him and
hold him in your arms. The spirits
will it.
"a cry came from the woman. She
hurried into the seance room and
seated herself. / could hearNher hard
breathing. l could almost see her
eyes cleaning in the darkness.
Then began the seance. Strange
lights played for a moment as pulled
the switches to the accompaniment Of
the chanting voice Of the detective
Hail. Then all was darkness. At last
voice broke upon the stiffness.
"I have come to you. Esther. What
is it? What is it?'
s'The woman half sobbed.
Henry, where are you?'
"T am close to you. Close to you
"a vague figure fioated through the
air, near to the waiting woman, then
disappeared in darkness. Again it
came forth, and this time it carried
with it an uncanny glow, showing the
dead face Of a man, his bloodless lips,
his staring eyes. The woman reeled
in her chair and thrust forth her arms.
The figure vanished behind the cur.
tains again.
"Once more the voice sounded. The
strange lights played again and again.
The woman was becoming historical.
She was screaming to Hail, begging
that he allow the spirit to come to her.
to be held in her arms. There was no
answering voice, for Hail, the sup
posed, was stretched forth upon the
divan, his whole body hidden except
his arms and head. His eyes were
closed He. was in trance.
Music began to play. For the last
time the figure came forth, drifted
into the air and then settled itself into
the woman's arms She sobbed aloud.
She buried her head against that Of
the man she held.
.Henry!' she cried. sHenry-Hen-
ry-'
There came a scream. A white
| light flared through the room. / ran
forth from behind the curtain, crying
for Hail.
"I'm on fire!' / cried. 'Haji-help
me-help me-
"A curse came from the couch as
the detective jumped up.
"sYou little fool!' he cried. Get
back there, you're not on fire. Get
back there get back there!
I'll not answered. I'm not go
| ing to do your work for you any more.
You brighten me! You make me do
things that scare me! don't like it.
with that, reached to the switch
on the wall and threw on the lights.
Mrs. Charles stood before us open
mouthed, staring from the wooden
dummy in her arms, on me and then
the detective she believed to be Hail,
at the strings in his hands, which
showed how he had manipulated the
working Of the dummy she believed to
have been the spirit Of her husband.
I had left the curtains open. The par
aphernalia Of the seance room was
laid out before her. She gasped once
or twice, her eyes opened wide and
! then she allowed the dummy with its