The Washington times., 1913-04-07

NO. I'm not gong 10 tell you 4 Ou
just make all sorts of objections, You
down in the library at 8 o'clock to-
morrow highland see what hap
pens. 1 promise you that you won't
be sorry If you do, and that you will
be sorry II you don't. That's fair.
And now, II you still tell me to let it
all go and pretend / never went to
see her-1 never heard of her-Ill do
as you say"
Jacks got the deciding vote" said
I Its his house, and it's his wife.
What do you say, Jack?"
He laughed. "Oh! 1 haven't the nerve
to tell her not to do it!' said he. "A
husbands authority is all very WELL
but it's an awkward thing to exercise
on anybody who's as likely to be right
as Gwendolyn."
you'll let me have Lieutenant Rich
ards?"
That's the bargain. isn't it? You're
to run the show. Well obey orders,
and no questions asked
You're a DEAR" she said. I've halt
VIII be ever SO much more fun for you
II don't. VIII you call up the lieu
tenant, Cliff"
The Marshalls' library was big,
rather formally arranged room, with a
fireplace in one end between a pair OF
bookcases. Opposite it. at the other
end Of the room, was another pair OF
bookcases with mirror between. II
was very dignified and rather solemn
for an everyday family 1ounging-p place
rather wondered at Gwendolyns e
choice OF 1t, for it seemed to me that It,
more than any other room in the house,
was uniting for her purpose. It would
be-well. almost profaned, by a piece of
chafiatanism such as Gwendolyn pro-
posed to have take place there. But we
had agreed to ask no questions.
The next evening, at s o'clock, we all
gathered there, except, of course, Rich
ards, who had to keep in the back
ground until the lights were out and
the seance fairly begun.
The medium herself was a rather ro-
tund person. with peculiarly disagree
able voice and a pasty complexion. Her
en- frame, two feet square or so and
seven or eight feet high, stood In the
corner OF the room behind where the
medium was sitting. A little to the
right from 1t was a small portable or.
gan, which was apparently to be pre-
sided over by the mediums assistant.
jeffrey and 1 exchanged glances when
we saw that he was Enthusiastically a
japanese.
jeffrey. Jack. Gwendolyn and / sat
around In a semicircle opposite the me-
dium. Jeffrey's chair was at the end,
within reaching distance of the old IL
brary table, which had been moved over
to the side of the room TO leave suf-
ficient space for our circle.
There was a. little doorway at the
end Of a sort of narrow alcoye which
led into the back Lall. This door was
left unlatched, and we had taken the
precaution to oil the hinges. When
things were fairly started Richards was
to come down to this door and station
himself where he could observe events
and take any action that they might
render appropriate.
] had attended seances many times
before. and had long ago learned that
they were always exactly alike, so that
ii was with no thrill of excitement or
expectancy that / took nv seat and
waited for things to begin. Jack shared
my feelings, and both he and I were
puzzled to account for the demeanor of
the other two. OF course such things
might be new to Gwendolyn: but even
novelty alone couldn't have given that
added color to her cheeks or quick
ened her breathing.
As for Jeffrey. he was as excited as
she, though all he showed of IL under a
studiously repressed demeanor was an
edge TO his quiet voice In the dimly
lighted room we We're all very hushed
and decorous. as the etiquette is at
such gatherings.
The Japanese went to the organ and
began racking our. nerves with hymn
tunes frightfully out of key. both lit
erallv and figuratively. for we all had
associations with them that made the
cheap trickery OF the present occasion
jar badly on our nerves.
After he had played awhile. the medi-
um began to talk. her throaty, unpleas-
ant voice fittingly accompanied by the
rasping wheezes of the little organ Her
her vulgar platitudes and her supposed
ly mystic jargon were worse than
either. After a little Introduction she
began TO ask questions, with the per-
fectly obvious purpose of getting data
for the communications we were wait
Ing for. Gwendolyn was the only one
Of us who was either inventive enough
or sufficiently interested to make re-
plies, but those We're evidently encour-
aging to the medium, for she warmed
TO her work.
There were a few preliminary. mani
festations, the muffled jangle of a bell,
and some thrummings on a sadly tuned
guitar. and then suddenly, In a moment
of stiffness. thin. childish voice spoke
out of the empty air. II WAS pretty well
done. and IL / had not been waiting for
II and been perfectly acquainted with
the trick of ventriloquism. by which the
medium herself produced IL. il might
have startled Inc.
That's my control" announced the
medium in her own voice. Now, IL any
VI you dHy 10 ask OF
any of the departed. Bright Eyes will
give them power to speak and perha DIS
to appear before you. But / warn you
to sit absolutely still in your places, as
a slight move might have serious re-
suits"
There was a moment of silence, if the
faint drone OF the organ does not forbid
the use of the word. and then Gwendo-
Iyp spoke.
Il wish To communicate with some
one size said. She passed over a lit
Der I9'
1t was perhaps ten seconds before the
medium answered. I wasn't thinkin..
SO much about her as ! was about the
date; there was something vaguely IA
mlliar about IT.