"Ain't it awful, Mr. Bangs?" repeated Primmie.

Galusha's faint smile twitched the corners of his lips. "We-ll," he
observed, "I--really I can't say. I never met the lady."

"What difference does that make? If a dead woman come and stood
alongside of MY bed 'twouldn't make no difference to me whether I'd MET
her or not. Meetin' of her then would be enough. My Lord of Isrul!"

"Oh--oh, I beg your pardon. Do I understand you to say that
this--ah--gentleman's wife is dead?"

"Um-hm. Been dead seven year, so Miss Martha says. That's what I mean
when I say it's awful. Wouldn't you think 'twas awful if a woman that
had been dead seven year come and stood alongside of you?"

Galusha smiled again. "Yes," he admitted, "I am inclined to think
I--ah--should."

"You bet you would! So'd anybody but Jethro Hallet. He likes it. Yes,
sir! And he goes to every medium place from here to Boston, seems so,
so's to have more talks with them that's over the river."

"Eh? Over the--Oh, yes, I comprehend. Dead, you mean. Then this Mr.
Hallet is a Spiritualist, I take it."

"Um-hm. Rankest kind of a one. Course everybody believes in Spiritulism
SOME, can't help it. Miss Martha says she don't much and Zach Bloomer
he says he cal'lates his doubts keep so close astern of his beliefs that
it's hard to tell which'll round the stake boat first. But there ain't