The Washington herald., 1915-02-07
~ q UNIT Elizabeth is failing so
~ rapidly, Mr.. Garrick-and-
~ sometimes-I-I think she
must be going crazy!

was the niece of an old and childless
couple, the Lyman Maynards, and II was
about her aunt that she had called In
great distress to see the young detective
It needed only to hear her speak to en-
list Garrick's sympathies, at least. Alma
was a Young woman of education and
refinement in whose face was rare
combination Of beauty and intelligence,
tall, dressed agreeably; in fact, girl
whom one could not help looking at in
Etfnctively.
your aunt must be quite advanced in
age" Garrick hinted gently.
Il know it." hastened the girl. the
tears gathering in her deep azure eyes
And I cannot expect her to be-with us
much longer But-you don't understand
1t Is not only that. Aunt Elizabeth lately
has fallen completely under the DONNA
ton of this Mime. Sears, the medium
and-I-I'm afraid it is affecting her
mind"
Alma drew from her handbag news
paper clipping and handed ii to him IL
had been cut from among the advertise
ments, and read:
Madam Vesta Sears, clairvoyant
medium. educated in occult mysteries,
tells your name, reads your secret
troubles, and the remedy. Great ques-
tions of life quickly solved. Overcomes
all evil Influences. Failure turned to
success The separated brought 70
gether. Advice on all analrs OF ne
love- marriage, divorce, business,
speculation, and investment Ever
ready to help and advise those with
capital to find a safe and paying m
vestment No fee until il succeeds
Could anything be fairer? The Re-
treat. - West Forty-fifth street
Just what is it you fear?" asked Gar
rick, lingering the clipping. What do
you suspect"
well" she began slowly, both Uncle
Lyman and Aunt Elizabeth have made
wills-his estate to go to my cousin San
ford and my aunt's to go to me-
She paused, then went on frankly: i
live with them in Stuyvesant Square and
I have a little income of my own
enough I don't want Aunt Elizabeth to
die for many, many years. But, Mr. Gar
rick. this Vesta Sears-oh-I fear her
I hate herr"
There is no new will, is there?" asked
Garrick
The girl looked at him, alarmed. why
-no-not as far as I know. never
thought of that. But, Mr.. Garrick, there
is no telling just how far that woman
dare to go with my aunt" she added
bitterly.
You know her-you have seen herr?
Never" exclaimed Alma.
. How did your aunt get into her
clutches?" inquired Garrick
''Oh. she was in trouble, the trouble
of the rich. Some one had made an Of
fer for a piece of property. Should she
sell or not? 1t might become more val
liable and some one might offer mere
for it. She thought and thought. Uncle
Lyman and my cousin Sanford, who is
a lawyer. couldn't tell her. They dealt
in the present. She heard of Madam
Sears. who dealt in the future. She
wasn't believer, then, but she went to
her. And Madam Sears told her that she
would go into a trance and consult some
of the great financiers who had passed
over into the spirit world"
Alma paused.
Il can foresee the result" put in Gar
rick 7 know that the confidence man,
whether operating in gold bricks, wire
tapping. or fortune-telling, has one rule.
lie l. never in doubt of the advisability
Of converting real estate or securities
into cash. Cash is transferable. So It
was. I suppose, with Madam Sears
Exactly. The spirits said it was best
TO SELL
In cases of the kind" observed Gar
rick. as she stopped again, where to do
a thing or not is the question, there Is
one chance of being right and one Of
being wrong. 1t is an even guess. What
did she do?'
She did not take the advice" answered
Alma. soon, Sne lOunQ Sne was "TOnB-
It was her error-not in judgment-but
in not taking the advice of Madam Sears.
Her belief became stronger. Now, l
don't believe there is anything Madam
Sears could tell her that she wouldn't
do"
Il shall take a look at this Madam
Sears" remarked Garrick, handing back
the clipping. Meanwhile. my dear Miss
Maynard do not alarm yourself. Every
thing vi turn OlIt all right in the end.
l am sure"
The appealing pressure of Alma May
nard's soft hand still clung to him as,
A few minutes later, he left his office and
hurried uptown to look over the temple
Of the occult so alluringly advertised as
The Retreat"
It was an old-fashioned, high-stooped, |
brownstone house, OF a generation ago, |
just far enough from Fifth avenue not |
to be fashionable and near enough to be |
ultra-respectable.
Garrick walked past. with a quick |
glance taking in the house. fianked by !
two others in the row which bore the |
unmistakabIe signs of being boarding
houses of the better class.
He turned at the corner and, after a
pause. went back and mounted the steps
AS he did so he had a sort of sensa-
tion that he was being watched behind
the drawn shades He rang the bell,
however, and a moment later a turbaned
East Indian. who looked suspiciously
like a mulatto from the San Juan Hill
district not a score of blocks away, ad-
mitted him with a laboriously acquired
salaam.
1t was a large reception room into
which Garrick was admitted. The ESQ
tpric apartment was exquisitely fitted.
Shades were drawn and a lamp burned |
dimly on the table, a suggestive lamp.
whose standard was a pair of twisted
serpents. The carpets were soft and of
q deep green, the draperies cleverly COW
cred by caballstiC signs. The air itself
seemed to breathe a pungent, restful
odor.
viii you wait few minutes?" asked
the attendant. Madam has a client, but
will see you soon. VIII you write your
name and the questions you wish to ask L
on this slip Of paper? II will help you TO
Il want TO know" GRrrick wrote, how
to invest some money that has JUST some
TO me by my fathers death" II
Now, fold up the paper" directed the
attendant, who had remained ostenta-
tiously at the farther end of the room so
that he could not possibly see what was
being written. and keep It."
Garrick tore on the sheet from the pad
and the servant took the pad. /,
II was an old trick. The second sheet
had been treated so that when busted b
brought UP on II the writing done with
the hard pencil on the first sheet which
had retained and slowed sway 1