The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-10-28
Chapter SO
THE SEANcE

4 , Neyta,s.
"Yes. the storms going over. It'll
draw down river now"
Caroline had never heard this
voice before. or any quite like it It
reminded her Of q Hy in treacle. or 3
voice heard in thick muffling fog.
1t had = peculiar soft tonelessnsss
that blurred the words. and the pitch
never varied.
Then we'd better get on with II. !"
said Nesta. "That last crash put me
right on but shall have train to
catch presently. and rye got to
know about Jim before 60"
Caroline had taken another step.
but these words halted her. She had
not meant to listen. but when Nesta
said, 1--WE got to know about jim" "
she knew that she was going TO lis
ten. II there was anything to know
about Jim. she was going TO know
it. She heard the soft sound OF some
one moving. and the gurgle OF wa
ter or come other liquid. The smooth
toneless voice said:
Look into the pool"
"what shall see? Suppose don't
see anything" This was Nesta.
IL don't say you'll see, nor what
you'll see-there's no saying. IL yon
don't see nothing, there's no harm
done. Look in the pool"
Silence fell on the room-a curl
Gus silence. enclosed by the sound
Of restless. hurrying wind and dis.
tant thunder. It was like the still
place at the center OF the storm
Caroline edged forward and looked
round the screen.
The room was full of q half light
except for one bright patch--a light
directed downwards upon q bowl OF
dark blue glass which appeared to
be Fall Of ink. II was about the size
ola hyacinth bowl. and Il stood on q
stool with . worked Cross-stitch top.
On one side of this stool Nesta
Riddell was kneeling. and on the
other, In low armless chair sat q
plump elderly woman. This must be
the other Caroline-C Caroline Bus
sell. Nesta Riddells cousin, the
housekeeper at Packham Hall.
She had pale nat face. pale and
plump. and tight curled fringe OF
faded hair controlled by net. Her
hands lay IN her lap. She leaned for.
ward over them. watching Nesta.
There was no sound IN the room
at all. and the sound OF the wind
and the thunder was drowned In q
steady downrush Of rain. Time did
not seem to pass: It stood STILL Caro-.
line stood still. with her hand on the
edge OF the screen. She looked at
Nesta. and Nesta looked into the
bowl Of ink.
a LII at once the silence broke.
\ Nesta said in her hard voice:
Il can't see anything but fog"
Sometimes the fog comes first. "
said Caroline RUSSELL. Maybe it'il
clear away"
There's nothing but fog!" Mes.
ta's voice was fretful. She jerked
back suddenly on to her heels.
There's nothing but fog gOinE up
and down like waves-it pnakea ple
giddy. I'm not going tosls6k any
more. i didn't come all the way here
to do the thing myself either"
Caroline Russell spohps slp her
smooth voice.
"You've not got the patience 1T
needs patience. And you mustn't
have your thoughts all cfiurneL MP
neilher-you might as well 30 stir
ring up the mud In q pond and then
expect to see clear 10 the bottom. /"
40 Il yourseif." said Nesta sulk-
iiy. That's what came here Cor. II
could do Il. I'd have done It at
home and no need 10 come al this
way"
Caroline Russell leaned down and
took up the bowl OF ink. She set Il On
the hollow OF her lap and drew the
lamp 90 that the light shone upon II.
All her movements were slow.
smooth. and n0lseiess. The light
from the lamp shons down on the
bowl Of ink and on two pale. plump
hands and . fold Of smooth hrowu