〃Then；〃　instructed　Gaylor；　〃do　not　let　her　know　until　she
  arrives　　until　it　will　be　too　late　for　her　to　back　out。〃
  Vance　nodded　and；　waiting　until　from　the　back　room　he　heard　the
  voices　of　Mannie　and　Winthrop；　he　opened　the　front　door　and　the
  two　men　ran　down　the　steps　into　the　street。
  While　the　conspirators　were　hidden　in　the　vestibule；　Mannie　had
  opened　the　folding　doors；　and　invited　Winthrop　to　enter　the
  reception　parlor。
  〃Miss　Vera　will　be　down　in　a　minute；〃　he　said。　〃If　you　want　your
  hand　read；〃　he　added；　pointing；　〃you　sit　over　there。〃
  As　Winthrop　approached　the　centre　table；　Mannie　backed　against
  the　piano。　The　presence　of　the　District　Attorney　at　such　short
  range　aroused　in　him　many　emotions。　Alternately　he　was　torn　with
  alarm；　with　admiration；　with　curiosity。　He　regarded　him
  apprehensively；　with　a　nervous　and　unhappy　smile。
  About　the　smile　there　was　something　that　Winthrop　found
  familiar；　and；　with　one　almost　as　attractive；　he　answered　it。
  〃I　think　we've　met　before；　haven't　we？〃　he　asked　pleasantly。
  Mannie　nodded。　〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　answered　promptly。　〃At　Sam
  Hepner's　old　place；　on　West　Forty…fourth　street。〃
  〃Why；　of　course！〃　exclaimed　the　District　Attorney。
  〃Don't　you　　don't　you　remember？〃　stammered　Mannie　eagerly。　He
  was　deeply　concerned　lest　the　distinguished　cross…examiner
  should　think；　that　from　him　of　his　lurid　past　he　could　withhold
  anything。　〃I　had　my　coat　off　　and　you　said　you'd　make　it　hot
  for　me。〃
  〃Did　I？〃　asked　Winthrop　with　an　effort　at　recollection。
  〃No；　you　didn't！〃　Mannie　hastened　to　reassure　him。　〃I　mean；　you
  didn't　make　it　hot　for　me。〃
  Winthrop　laughed；　and　seated　himself　comfortably　beside　the
  centre　table。　Well　I'm　glad　of　that；〃　he　said。　〃So　our　relations
  are　still　pleasant；　then？〃　he　asked。
  〃Sure！〃　exclaimed　Mannie　heartily。　〃I　mean　　yes；　sir。〃
  Winthrop　mechanically　reached　for　his　cigarette　case；　and　then；
  recollecting；　withdrew　his　hand。
  〃And　how　are　the　ponies　running？'　he　asked。
  The　interview　was　filling　Mannie　with　excitement　and　delight。　He
  chuckled　with　pleasure。　His　fear　of　the　great　man　was　rapidly
  departing。　Could　this；　he　asked　himself；　be　the　〃terror　to　evil…
  doers；〃　the　man　whose　cruel　questions　drove　witnesses　to　tears；
  whose　〃third　degree〃　sent　veterans　of　the　underworld　staggering
  from　his　confessional　box；　limp　and　gasping？
  〃Oh；　pretty　well；〃　said　the　boy；　〃seems　as　if　I　couldn't　keep
  away　from　them。　I　got　a　good　thing　for　today　　Pompadour　　in
  the　fifth。　I　put　all　the　money　on　her　I　could　get　together；〃　he
  announced　importantly；　and　then　added　frankly；　with　a　laugh；
  〃two　dollars！〃　The　laugh　was　contagious；　and　the　District
  Attorney　laughed　with　him。
  〃Pompadour；〃　Winthrop　objected；　〃she's　one　of　those　winter　track
  favorites。〃
  〃I　know；　but　today；〃　declared　Mannie；　〃she　win；　sure！〃　Carried
  away　by　his　enthusiasm；　and　by　the　sympathy　of　his　audience；　he
  rushed；　unheeding；　to　his　fate。　〃If　you'd　like　to　put　a　little
  on；〃　he　said；　〃I　can　tell　you　where　you　can　do　it。〃
  The　District　Attorney　stared　and　laughed。　〃You　mustn't　tell　me
  where　you　can　do　it；〃　he　said。
  Mannie　gave　a　terrified　gasp　and；　for　an　instant；　clapped　his
  hands　over　his　lips。　〃That's　right；〃　he　cried。　〃Gee；　that's
  right！　I'm　such　a　crank　on　all　kinds　of　sport　that　I　clean
  forgot！〃
  He　gazed　at　the　much…dreaded　District　Attorney　with　the　awe　of
  the　new…born　hero…worshipper。　〃I　guess　you　are；　too；　hey？〃　he
  protested　admiringly。　〃Vera　was　telling　me　you　used　to　be　a
  great　ball　tosser。〃
  In　the　face　of　the　District　Attorney　there　came　a　sudden
  interest。　His　eyes　lightened。
  〃How　did　she　　〃
  〃She　used　to　watch　you　in　Geneva；〃　said　Mannie；　〃playing　with
  the　college　lads。　I　　I；〃　he　added　consciously；　〃was　a　ball
  player　myself　once。　Used　to　pitch　for　the　Interstate　League。〃　He
  stopped　abruptly。
  〃Interstate？〃　said　Winthrop　encouragingly。　〃You　must　have　been
  good。〃
  The　enthusiasm　had　departed　from　the　face　of　the　boy。　〃Yes；　he
  said；　〃but　　〃　he　smiled　shamefacedly；　〃but　I　got　taking　coke；
  and　they　　〃　He　finished　with　a　dramatic　gesture　of　the　hand　as
  of　a　man　tossing　away　a　cigarette。
  〃Cocaine？〃　said　the　District　Attorney。
  The　boy　nodded　and；　for　an　instant；　the　two　men　eyed　each　other；
  the　boy　smiling　ruefully。　The　District　Attorney　shook　his　head。
  〃My　young　friend；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　never　beat　that　game！〃
  Mannie　stared　at　him；　his　eyes　filled　with　surprise。
  〃Don't　you　suppose；〃　he　said　simply；　〃that　I　know　that　better
  than　you　do？〃　With　a　boy's　pride　in　his　own　incorrigibility　he
  went　on　boastingly：　〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　used　to　be　awful　bad！
  Cocaine　and　all　kinds　of　dope；　and　cigarettes；　and　whiskey。　I
  was　nearly　all　in　　with　morphine；　it　was　then　　till　she　took
  hold　of　me；　and　stopped　me。〃
  〃She？〃　said　Winthrop。
  〃Vera；〃　said　Mannie。　〃She　made　me　stop。　I　had　to　stop。　She
  started　taking　it　herself。〃
  〃What！〃　cried　Winthrop。
  〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Mannie　hastily；　〃I　don't　mean　what　you　mean　　I
  mean　she　started　taking　it　to　make　me　stop。　She　says　to　me；
  Mannie；　you're　killing　yourself；　and　you　got　to　quit　it；　and　if
  you　don't；　every　time　you　take　a　grain；　I'll　take　two。　And　she
  did！　I'd　come　home；　and　she'd　see　what　I'd　been　doing；　and　she'd
  up　with　her　sleeves；　and　　〃　In　horrible　pantomime；　the　boy
  lifted　the　cuff　of　his　shirt；　and　pressed　his　right　thumb
  against　the　wrist　of　his　other　arm。　At　the　memory　of　it；　he　gave
  a　shiver　and；　with　a　blow；　roughly　struck　the　cuff　into　place。
  〃God！〃　he　muttered；　〃I　couldn't　stand　it。　I　begged；　and　begged
  her　not。　I　cried。　I　used　to　get　down；　in　this　room；　on　my　knees。
  And　each　time　she'd　get　whiter；　and　black　under　the　eyes。　And
  and　I　had　to　stop。　Didn't　I？〃
  Winthrop　moved　his　head。
  〃And　now；〃　cried　the　boy　with　a　happy　laugh；　〃I'm　all　right！〃　He
  appealed　to　the　older　man　eagerly；　wistfully。　〃Don't　you　think
  I'm　looking　better　than　I　did　the　last　time　you　saw　me？〃
  Again；　without　venturing　to　speak；　Winthrop　nodded。
  Mannie　smiled　with　pride。　〃Everybody　tells　me　so；〃　he　said。
  〃Well；　she　did　it。　That's　what　she　did　for　me。　And；　I　can　tell
  you；〃　he　said　simply；　sincerely；　〃there　ain't　anything　I
  wouldn't　do　for　her。　I　guess　that's　right；　hey？〃　he　added。
  The　eyes　of　the　cruel　cross…examiner；　veiled　under　half…closed
  lids；　were　regarding　the　boy　with　so　curious　an　expression　that
  under　their　scrutiny　Mannie；　in　embarrassment；　moved　uneasily。
  〃I　guess　that's　right；〃　he　repeated。
  To　his　surprise；　the　District　Attorney　rose　from　his　comfortable
  position　and；　leaning　across　the　table；　held　out　his　hand。
  Mannie　took　it　awkwardly。
  〃That's　all　right；〃　he　said。
  〃Sure；　it's　all　right；〃　said　the　District　Attorney。
  From　the　hall　there　was　the　sound　of　light；　quick　steps；　and
  Mannie；　happy　to　escape　from　a　situation　he　did　not　understand；
  ran　to　the　door。
  〃She's　coming；〃　he　said。　He　opened　the　door　and；　as　Vera
  entered；　he　slipped　past　her　and　closed　it　behind　him。
  Vera　walked　directly　to　the　chair　at　the　top　of　the　centre
  table。　She　was　nervous；　and　she　was　conscious　that　that　fact　was
  evident。　To　avoid　shaking　hands　with　her　visitor；　she　carried
  her　own　clasped　in　front　of　her；　with　the　fingers　interlaced。
  She　tried　to　speak　in　her　usual　suave；　professional　tone。　〃How
  do　you　do？〃　she　said。
  But　Winthrop　would　not　be　denied。　With　a　smile　that　showed　his
  pleasure　at　again　seeing　her；　he　advanced　eagerly；　with　his　hand
  outstretched。　〃How　are　you？〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Aren't　you　going　to
  shake　hands　with　me？〃　he　demanded。　〃With　an　old　friend？〃
  Vera　gave　him　her　hand　quickly；　and　then；　seating　herself　at　the
  table；　picked　up　the　ivory　pointer。
  〃I　didn't　know　you　were　coming　as　an　old　friend；〃　she　murmured
  embarrassedly。　〃You　said　you　were　coming　to　consult　Vera；　the
  medium。〃
  〃But　you　said　that　was　the　only　way　I　could　come；〃　protested
  Winthrop。　〃Don't　you　remember；　you　said　　〃
  Vera　interrupted　him。　She　spoke　distantly；　formally。　〃What　kind
  of　a　reading　do　you　want？〃　she　asked。　〃A　hand　reading；　or　a
  crystal　reading？〃
  Winthrop　leaned　forward　in　his　chair；　frankly　smiling　at　her。　He
  made　no　attempt　to　conceal　the　pleasure　the　sight　of　her　gave
  him。　His　manner　was　that　of　a　very　old　and　dear　friend；　who；　for
  the　first　time；　had　met　her　after　a　separation　of　years。
  〃Don't　want　any　kind　of　a　reading；〃　he　declared。　〃I　want　a
  talking。　You　don't　seem　to　understand；〃　he　objected；　〃that　I　am
  making　an　afternoon　call。〃　His　good　humor　was　unassailable。
  Looking　up　with　a　perplexed　frown；　Vera　met　his　eyes　and　saw
  that　he　was　laughing　at　her。　She　threw　the　ivory　pointer　down
  and；　leaning　back　in　her　chair；　smiled　at　him。
  〃I　don't　believe；〃　she　said　doubtfully；　〃that　I　know　much　about
  afternoon　calls。　What　would　I　do；　if　we　were　on　Fifth　Avenue？
  Would　I　give　you　tea？〃　she　asked；　〃because；〃　she　added　hastily；
  〃there　isn't　any　tea。〃
  〃In　that　case；　it　is　not　etiquette　to　offer　any；〃　said　Winthrop
  gravely。
  〃Then；〃　said　Vera；　〃I'm　doing　it　right；　so　far？〃
  They　both　laughed；　Vera　because　she　still　was　in　awe　of　him；　and
  Winthrop　because　he　was　happy。
  〃You're　doing　it　charmingly；〃　Winthrop　assured　her。
  〃Good！〃　exclaimed　Vera。　〃Well；　now；〃　she　inquired；　〃now　we　talk；
  don't　we？〃
  〃Y