"That's what I tell them," chorused Rainey.

Gaylor raised his hand for silence.

"No, Mrs. Vance," he said wearily. "We are not crazy, but," he
added bitterly, "we can't help ourselves. You mediums have got
Mr. Hallowell in such a state that he'll only do what his
sister's spirit tells him. He says, if he's robbing his niece,
his sister will tell him so; if he's to give the money to the
Institute, his sister will tell him that. He says, if Vance is
fair and above-board, he shouldn't be afraid to have his niece
and any friends of hers present. We can't help ourselves."

"I helped a little," said Vance, "by insisting on having our own
friends there -- told him the spirit could not materialize
unless there were believers present."

"Did he stand for that?" asked Mabel.

"Glad to have them," her husband assured her. "They like to
think there are others as foolish as they are. And I'm going to
place Mr. District Attorney," he broke out suddenly and
fiercely, "between two mediums. They'll hold his hands!"

Already frightened by the possible result of the plot, Rainey,
with a vehemence born of fear, retorted sharply: "Hold his
hands! How're you going to make him hold his tongue, afterward?"

Gaylor turned upon him savagely.