TRENT. But.

WALES. I wouldn't care so much if they'd given the poor devil half a
chance for his life, but they stabbed him in the back.

MASON. Wasn't there any indication--

WALES. There wasn't a thing to show who did it, or how it was done. A
knife-wound between the shoulder-blades and no knife ever found. Nothing
stolen, nothing disturbed. The police have found out that a young woman
called to see him that afternoon, two or three hours before his body was
discovered. That's all that we know.

TRENT (_with a laugh--still seated in circle_). And now you're going to
try spiritualism?

WALES. Why not? (_There is a pause._) Do any of you object?

TRENT. Certainly not. I'm rather for it.

MASON (_rises, still on_ L. _of table_ R.). You are doing this
seriously? This is not a joke?

WALES. Quite seriously. (_There is a pause._) Well, why won't somebody
laugh?

CROSBY. My dear fellow, why should anyone laugh? This queer old woman
may have powers of which we know nothing at all. Personally, I haven't
much belief in that sort of thing, but I'm not going to laugh at it.
(_Rise._) Neither am I going to have any trickery, or if there is any