exhibition　of　code　and　cipher　signaling。　They　called　it　mind
  reading。　During　the　day；　at　the　house　of　Vance　and　his　wife；　the
  girl；　as　〃Vera；　the　Medium；〃　furnished　to　all　comers　memories　of
  the　past　or　news　of　the　future。　In　their　profession；　in　all　of
  its　branches；　the　man　and　the　girl　were　past　masters。　They　knew
  it　from　the　A；　B；　C　of　the　dream　book　to　the　post…graduate　work
  of　projecting　from　a　cabinet　the　spirits　of　the　dead。　As　the
  occasion　offered　and　paid　best；　they　were　mind　readers；
  clairvoyants；　materializing　mediums；　test　mediums。　From　them；　a
  pack　of　cards；　a　crystal　globe；　the　lines　of　the　human　hand；
  held　no　secrets。　They　found　lost　articles；　cast　horoscopes；　gave
  advice　in　affairs　of　the　heart；　of　business　and　speculation；
  uttered　warnings　of　journeys　over　seas　and　against　a　smooth…
  shaven　stranger。　They　even　stooped　to　foretell　earthquakes；　or
  caused　to　drop　fluttering　from　the　ceiling　a　letter　straight
  from　the　Himalayas。　Among　those　who　are　the　gypsies　of　the
  cities；　they　were　the　aristocrats　of　their　calling；　and　to　them
  that　calling　was　as　legitimate　a　business　as　is；　to　the　roadside
  gypsy；　the　swapping　of　horses。　The　fore…parents　of　each　had
  followed　that　same　calling；　and　to　the　children　it　was
  commonplace　and　matter…of…fact。　It　held　no　adventure；　no　moral
  obloquy。
  〃Prof。〃　Paul　Vance　was　a　young　man　of　under　forty　years。　He
  looked　like　a　fox。　He　had　red　eyes；　alert　and　cunning；　a　long；
  sharp…pointed　nose；　a　pointed　red　beard；　and　red　eyebrows　that
  slanted　upward。　His　hair；　standing　erect　in　a　pompadour；　and　his
  uplifted　eyebrows　gave　him　the　watchful　look　of　the　fox　when　he
  hears　suddenly　the　hound　baying　in　pursuit。　But　no　one　had　ever
  successfully　pursued　Vance。　No　one　had　ever　driven　him　into　a
  corner　from　which；　either　pleasantly；　or　with　raging
  indignation；　he　was　not　able　to　free　himself。　Seven　years　before
  he　had　disloyally　married　out　of　the　〃profession〃　and　for　no
  other　reason　than　that　he　was　in　love　with　the　woman　he　married。
  She　had　come　to　seek　advice　from　the　spirit　world　in　regard　to
  taking　a　second　husband。　After　several　visits　the　spirit　world
  had　advised　Vance　to　advise　her　to　marry　Vance。
  She　did　so；　and　though　the　man　was　still　in　love　with　his　wife；
  he　had　not　found　her；　in　his　work；　the　assistance　he　had　hoped
  she　might　be。　She　still　was　a　〃believer〃；　in　the　technical
  vernacular　of　her　husband　　〃a　dope。〃　Not　even　the　intimate
  knowledge　she　had　gained　behind　the　scenes　could　persuade　her
  that　Paul；　her　husband；　was　not　in　constant　communication　with
  the　spirit　world；　or　that；　if　he　wished；　he　could　not　read　the
  thoughts　that　moved　slowly　through　her　pretty　head。
  At　the　time　of　his　marriage；　the　girl　Vera；　then　a　child　of
  fourteen；　had　written　to　Vance　for　help。　She　was　ill；　without
  money；　and　asked　for　work。　To　him　she　was　known　as　the　last　of　a
  long　line　of　people　who　had　always　been　professional　mediums　and
  spiritualists；　and；　out　of　charity　and　from　a　sense　of　noblesse
  oblige　to　one　of　the　elect　of　the　profession；　Vance　had　made　her
  his　assistant。　He　had　never　regretted　having　done　so。　The　bread
  cast　upon　the　waters　was　returned　a　thousandfold。　From　the
  first；　the　girl　brought　in　money。　And　his　wife；　the　older　of　the
  two；　had　welcomed　her　as　a　companion。　After　a　fashion　the　Vances
  had　adopted　her。　In　the　advertisements　she　was　described　as
  their　〃ward。〃
  Vera　now　was　twenty…one；　tall；　wonderfully　graceful；　and　of　the
  most　enchanting　loveliness。　Her　education　had　been　cosmopolitan。
  In　the　largest　cities　of　America　she　had　met　persons　of　every
  class　　young　women；　old　women；　mothers　with　married　sons　and
  daughters；　women　of　society　as　it　is　exploited　in　the　Sunday
  supplements；　school　girls；　shop　girls；　factory　girls　　all　had
  told　her　their　troubles；　and　men　of　every　condition　had　come　to
  scoff　and　had　remained　to　express；　more　or　less　offensively；
  their　admiration。　Some　of　the　younger　of　these；　after　a　first
  visit；　returned　the　day　following；　and　each　begged　the　beautiful
  priestess　of　the　occult　to　fly　with　him；　to　live　with　him；　to
  marry　him。　When　this　happened　Vera　would　touch　a　button；　and
  〃Mannie〃　Day；　who　admitted　visitors；　and　later；　in　the　hall；
  searched　their　hats　and　umbrellas　for　initials；　came　on　the　run
  and　threw　the　infatuated　one　out　upon　a　cold　and　unfeeling
  sidewalk。
  So　Vera　had　seen　both　the　seamy　side　of　life　and；　in　the　drawing
  rooms　where　Vance　and　she　exhibited　their　mind　reading　tricks；
  had　been　made　much　of　by　great　ladies　and；　for　an　hour　as　brief
  as　Cinderella's；　had　looked　upon　a　world　of　kind　and　well…bred
  people。　Since　she　was　fourteen；　for　seven　years；　this　had　been
  her　life　　a　life　as　open　to　the　public　as　the　life　of　an
  actress；　as　easy　of　access　as　that　of　the　stenographer　in　the
  hotel　lobby。　As　a　result；　the　girl　had　encased　herself　in　a
  defensive　armor　of　hardness　and　distrust；　a　protection　which　was
  rendered　futile　by　the　loveliness　of　her　face；　by　the　softness
  of　her　voice；　by　the　deep；　brooding　eyes；　and　the　fine　forehead
  on　which；　like　a　crown；　rested　the　black　waves　of　her　hair。
  In　her　work　Vera　accepted；　without　question；　the　parts　to　which
  Vance　assigned　her。　When　in　their　mummeries　they　were
  successful；　she　neither　enjoyed　the　credulity　of　those　they　had
  tricked　nor　was　sobered　with　remorse。　In　the　world　Vance　found　a
  certain　number　of　people　with　money　who　demanded　to　be　fooled。
  It　was　his　business　and　hers　to　meet　that　demand。　If　ever　the
  conscience　of　either　stirred　restlessly；　Vance　soothed　it　by　the
  easy　answer　that　if　they　did　not　take　the　money　some　one　else
  would。　It　was　all　in　the　day's　work。　It　was　her　profession。
  As　she　entered　the　library　of　Mr。　Hallowell；　which；　with　Vance；
  she　already　had　visited　several　times；　she　looked　like　a　child
  masquerading　in　her　mother's　finery。　She　suggested　an　ingenue
  who　had　been　suddenly　sent　on　in　the　role　of　the　Russian
  adventuress。　Her　slight　girl's　figure　was　draped　in　black　lace。
  Her　face　was　shaded　by　a　large　picture　hat；　heavy　with　drooping
  ostrich　feathers；　around　her　shoulders　was　a　necklace　of　jade；
  and　on　her　wrists　many　bracelets　of　silver　gilt。　When　she　moved
  they　rattled。　As　the　girl　advanced；　smiling；　to　greet　Mr。
  Hallowell；　she　suddenly　stopped；　shivered　slightly；　and　threw
  her　right　arm　across　her　eyes。　Her　left　arm　she　stretched　over
  the　table。
  〃Give　me　your　hand！〃　she　commanded。　Dubiously；　with　a　watchful
  glance　at　Vance；　Mr。　Hallowell　leaned　forward　and　took　her　hand。
  〃You　have　been　ill；〃　cried　the　girl；　〃very　ill　　I　see　you　　I
  see　you　in　a　kind　of　faint　　very　lately。〃　Her　voice　rose
  excitedly。　〃Yes；　last　night。〃
  Mr。　Hallowell　protested　with　indignation。　〃You　read　that　in　the
  morning　paper；〃　he　said。
  Vera　lowered　her　arm　from　her　eyes　and　turned　them　reproachfully
  on　him。
  〃I　don't　read　the　Despatch；〃　she　answered。
  Mr。　Hallowell　drew　back　suspiciously。　〃I　didn't　say　it　was　the
  Despatch；〃　he　returned。
  Vance　quickly　interposed。　〃You　don't　have　to　say　it；〃　he
  explained　with　glibness；　〃you　thought　it。　And　Vera　read　your
  thoughts。　You　were　thinking　of　the　Despatch；　weren't　you？　Well；
  there　you　are！　It's　wonderful！〃
  〃Wonderful？　Nonsense！〃　mocked　Mr。　Hallowell。　〃She　did　read　it　in
  the　paper　or　Rainey　told　her。〃
  The　girl　shrugged　her　shoulders　patiently。　〃If　you　would　rather
  find　out　you　were　ill　from　the　newspapers　than　from　the　spirit
  world；〃　she　inquired；　〃why　do　you　ask　me　here？〃
  〃I　ask　you　here；　young　woman；〃　exclaimed　Hallowell；　sinking　back
  in　his　chair；　〃because　I　hoped　you　would　tell　me　something　I
  can't　learn　from　the　newspapers。　But　you　haven't　been　able　to　do
  it　yet。　My　dear　young　lady；〃　exclaimed　the　old　man　wistfully；　〃I
  want　to　believe；　but　I　must　be　convinced。　No　tricks　with　me！　I
  can　explain　how　you　might　have　found　out　everything　you　have
  told　me。　Give　me　a　sign！〃　He　beat　the　flat　of　his　hand　upon　the
  table。　〃Show　me　something　I　can't　explain！〃
  〃Mr。　Hallowell　is　quite　right；　Vera；〃　said　Vance。　〃He　is
  entering　what　is　to　him　a　new　world；　full　of　mysteries；　and　that
  caution　which　in　this　world　has　made　him　so　successful　　〃
  With　an　exclamation；　Hallowell　cut　short　the　patter　of　the
  showman。
  〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　interrupted　petulantly；　〃I　tell　you；　I　want　to
  believe。　Convince　me。〃
  Considering　the　situation　with　pursed　lips　and　thoughtful　eyes；
  Vera　gazed　at　the　old　man；　frowning。　Finally　she　asked；　〃Have
  you　witnessed　out　demonstrations　of　mind　reading？〃
  Mr。　Hallowell　snorted。　〃Certainly　not；〃　he　replied；　〃it's　a
  trick！〃
  〃A　trick！〃　cried　the　girl　indignantly；　〃to　read　a　man's　mind
  to　see　right　through　your　forehead；　through　your　skull；　into
  your　brain？　Is　that　a　trick？〃　She　turned　sharply　to　Vance。　〃Show
  him！〃　she　commanded；　〃show　him！〃　She　crossed　rapidly　to　the
  window　and　stood　looking　down　into　the　street；　with　her　back　to
  the　room。
  Vance；　with　his　back　turned　to　Vera；　stood　close　to　the　table；
  on　the　other　side　of　which　Hallowell　was　reclining　in　his　arm
  chair。　Vance　picked　up　a　pen　holder。
  〃Think　of　what　I　have　in　my　hand；　please；〃　he　said。　〃What　is
  this；　Vera？〃　he　asked。　The　girl；　gazing　from　the　window　at　the
  traffic　in　the　avenue　below　her；　answered　with　indifference；　〃A
  pen　hold