CHAPTER VII
The announcement exploded like a bomb in the midst of the little groupin the light keeper's sitting room. Lulie turned a trifle pale andlooked worried and alarmed. Martha uttered an exclamation, dropped thewindow shade and turned toward her young friend. Mr. Bangs looked fromone to the other and was plainly very anxious to help in some waybut not certain how to begin. Of the four Nelson Howard, the one mostconcerned, appeared least disturbed. It was he who spoke first and histone was brisk and businesslike.
"Well, Lulie," he said, "what do you want me to do? Shall I stay andface it out? I don't mind. There's nothing for us to be ashamed of, youknow."
But Lulie shook her head. "Oh, no, no, Nelson," she cried, "you mustn't.You had better go, right away. There will be a scene, and with all thosepeople here--"
Miss Phipps put in a word. "But perhaps Nelson's right, after all,Lulie," she said. "There is no reason in the world why he shouldn'tcome to see you, and maybe he and Cap'n Jeth might as well have a plainunderstandin' now as any time."
Miss Hallett's agitation increased. "Oh, no," she cried, again. "Don'tyou see it mustn't happen, on father's account? You know how he--youknow how excited and--and almost violent he gets when any one crosseshim nowadays. I'm afraid something might happen to him. I'm afraid.Please go, Nelson, for my sake."
The young man nodded. "Of course, Lulie," he declared. "You're perfectlyright. I'm off. Good-night."
He was hastening toward the dining room door, but Primmie, dancing upand down like a jumping jack, barred his way.
"No, no, no," she squealed, "you can't--you can't. They're almost to thedoor now. He'll catch you sure. He WILL. Oh, my Lord of Isrul!"
Sure enough, the latch of the door leading from the side porch to thedining room was rattling at that moment. Fortunately the door itself washooked on the inside. Nelson hesitated.
"Humph!" he grunted. "Could I get through to the kitchen and out thatway, do you think, Zach?"
"Godfreys, no! Not with them winder curtains strung up higher'n Hamanthe way they be. No, no! Godfreys!"
Martha stepped across the sitting room and flung open another door onthe opposite side. As she did so there sounded a prodigious thumpingfrom the side porch and the bull-like voice of Captain Hallett bellowedhis daughter's name.
"Go let 'em in, Lulie," whispered Martha. "I'll look out for thingshere. Quick, Nelson, out this way, through the front hall and out thefront door. QUICK!"
Captain Jeth was accompanying his shouts by thumping upon the side ofthe house. Lulie, after one desperate glance at her lover, hurried tothe dining room. Young Howard hesitated a moment.
"My hat and coat?" he whispered. "Where are they?"
They were hanging in the entry upon the door of which the captain wasthumping. Zach hastened to get them, but before he reached the diningroom they heard the outer door open and Jeth's voice demanding to knowwhy Lulie had kept him waiting so long. Nelson, with a somewhat ruefulsmile and a wave of the hand to Martha and Galusha, dodged into theblackness of the front hall. Miss Phipps closed the door after him.The conspirators looked at each other. Primmie's mouth opened but theexpansive hand of Mr. Bloomer promptly covered it and the larger part ofher face as well.
"This ain't no time to holler about your savin' soul," whisperedZacheus, hoarsely. "This is the time to shut up. And KEEP shut up. Yoube still, Dandelion!"
Primmie obeyed orders and was still. But even if she had shrieked it isdoubtful if any one in the dining room could have heard her. The "ghostseiners," quoting from Mr. Bloomer, were pouring through the entry and,as all were talking at once, the clatter of tongues would have drownedout any shriek of ordinary volume. A moment later the Halletts, fatherand daughter, led the way into the sitting room. Lulie's first procedurewas to glance quickly about the apartment. A look of relief crossed herface and she and Martha Phipps exchanged glances.
"Father has--he has come back," was her somewhat superfluousexplanation. Captain Jethro noted the superfluity.
"Cal'late they can see that for themselves, Lulie," he observed. "Howare you, Martha? Evenin', Mr. Bangs. Everything all right about thelight, Zach?"
"Ay, ay, sir," was Mr. Bloomer's nautical reply. The captain grunted.
"Better go look at it," he said. Turning, he called over his shoulder,"Come in, all hands."
"All hands," that is, the company in the dining room--came in. Therewere fourteen of them, all told, and, as Martha Phipps told GalushaBangs afterward, "If you had run a net from one end of Ostable County tothe other you wouldn't have landed more freaks than there were in thathouse at that minute." The majority were women and the few men in theparty looked as if each realized himself a minority at home and abroad.
"Set down, everybody," commanded Captain Jethro. "Lulie, you better helpme fetch in them dining-room chairs. We'll need 'em."
"But, father," begged Lulie, "what are you going to do?"
"Do? We're goin' to have a meetin', that's what we're goin' to do. Setdown, all of you that can. We'll have chairs for the rest in a minute."
"But, father--" began Lulie, again. The captain interrupted her. "Bestill," he ordered, irritably. "Marietta, you set over here by themelodeon. That'll be about right for you, will it?"
Miss Marietta Hoag was a short, dumpy female with a face which had beendescribed by Zach Bloomer as resembling a "pan of dough with a couple ofcranberries dropped into it." She wore a blue hat with a red bow and aprofusion of small objects--red cherries and purple grapes--bobbing onwires above it. The general effect, quoting Mr. Bloomer again, was "asif somebody had set off a firecracker in a fruit-peddler's cart." Theremainder of her apparel was more subdued.
She removed the explosive headgear and came forward in response to thelight keeper's command. She looked at the chair by the ancient parlororgan and announced: "Yes, indeed, it'll do real well, thank you, Cap'nJethro." Her voice was a sharp soprano with liquid gurgles in it--"likepourin' pain-killer out of a bottle," this last still another quotationfrom the book of Zacheus.
"All right," said Captain Jeth, "then we'll begin. We've wasted enoughtime cruisin' way over to Trumet and back for nothin'. No need to wasteany more. Set down, all hands, and come to order. Lulie, you and Marthaand the rest of you set down, too."
"But, father," urged his daughter again, "I don't understand. What areyou going to do?"
"Goin' to have a meetin', I tell you."
"But what sort of a meeting?"
"A seance. We cruised clear over to Trumet to hear that Brockton mediumthat was stayin' at Obed Taylor's there and when we got to Obed'swe found she'd been called back home unexpected and had left on thisafternoon's train. So we came back here and Marietta's goin' to try toget in communication herself. That's all there is to it.... Now don'twaste any more time askin' fool questions. Set down. Martha Phipps, whatare you and Mr. Bangs standin' up for?"
Martha's answer was quietly given.
"Why, good gracious, Jethro!" she observed, "why shouldn't we stand up?Mr. Bangs and I came over to spend the evenin' with Lulie. We didn'tknow you and Marietta and Ophelia and the rest were goin' to holdany--er--what do you call 'em?--seances. We'll run right along and leaveyou to enjoy yourselves. Come, Mr. Bangs."
For some reason or other this reply appeared to irritate the lightkeeper exceedingly. He glared at her.
"Set down, both of you," he ordered. "I want you to. 'Twill do you good.No, you ain't goin', neither. Lulie, you tell 'em to stay here."
His manner was so determined and the light in his eye so ominous thathis daughter was alarmed.
"Oh, do stay, Martha," she pleaded. "Won't you please stay, you and Mr.Bangs? I think it will be for the best, truly I do. Please stay."
Martha looked at her lodger. Galusha smiled.
"I shall be very glad to remain," he observed. "Indeed yes, really."
Miss Phipps nodded. "All right, Lulie," she said, quietly. "We'll stay."
They took chairs in the back row of the double circle. Primmie, eyes and
mouth open and agog with excitement, had already seated herself. CaptainJethro looked about the room.
"Are we all ready," he growled. "Eh? Who's that comin'? Oh, it's you.Well, set down and keep quiet."
It was Mr. Bloomer who had re-entered the room and was received sounceremoniously. He glanced at Galusha Bangs, winked the eye which thecaptain could not see, and sat down next to Primmie.
"Now then," said Captain Jeth, who was evidently master of ceremonies,"if you're all ready, Marietta, I cal'late we are. Cast off! Heaveahead!"
But Miss Hoag seemed troubled; evidently she was not ready to cast offand heave ahead.
"Why--why, Cap'n Jeth," she faltered, "I CAN'T. Don't you KNOW Ican't? Everybody's got to take hands--and the lights must be turned waydown--and--and we've GOT to have some music."
The captain pulled his beard. "Humph!" he grunted. "That's so, I forgot.Don't know what's the matter with me to-night, seem to be kind of--ofupset or somethin'. Zach, turn them lamps down; more'n that, way downlow.... That'll do. Now all hands hold hands. Make a--a kind of ring outof yourselves. That's it. Now what else was it, Marietta?"
"Music," faltered Miss Hoag, who seemed rather overawed by the captain'sintensity and savage earnestness. "We always have music, you know, toestablish the--the contact. Have somebody play the organ. 'Phelia, youplay it; you know how."
Miss Ophelia Beebe, sister of the village storekeeper, was a tall,angular woman garbed in black. Her facial expression was as mournfulas her raiment. She rose with a rustle and moved toward the ancientmelodeon. Lulie spoke hurriedly.
"No, no, Ophelia," she protested, "it isn't any use. That old thing hasbeen out of order for--why, for years. No one could possibly play on it.No one has for ever and ever so long. Father knows it perfectly well."
Again Captain Jethro tugged at his beard.
"Humph!" he grunted. "'Tis out of order; I remember now.... Humph! I--Iforgot that. Well, we'll have to have some sort of music. Can anybodythat's here play on anything?"
There was silence for a moment. Then a thin masculine voice from thedimness made proclamation.
"I can play on the fiddle," it said; and then added, as if inafterthought, "some."
There was a rustle in the corner from which the voice had come.Mutterings and whisperings arose. "Don't talk so foolish!" "Well, Sary,he asked if anybody could play on anything and I--" "Be still, I tellyou! I declare if there's any chance for a person to make a jumpin'numbskull out of himself in front of folks I'll trust you to be right ondeck." "Now, Sary, what are you goin' on like this for? I only just--"
The dispute was growing louder and more violent. Captain Jethro roared acommand for silence.
"What's all this?" he demanded. "Silence there for'ard!" He waited aninstant and then asked, "Who was it said they could play the fiddle? Wasit you, Abel Hardin'?"
Mr. Abel Harding, clam digger and fish purveyor, resident in SouthWellmouth, acknowledged his identity.
"Yus, Cap'n Jeth," he declared. "I said I could play the fiddle, and Ican, too. Sary B., she says--"
"Sarah B."--otherwise Mrs. Abel Harding--interrupted. "He can't playnothin' but two jig tunes and he plays them like the very Old Scratch,"she snapped, with emphasis.
"Well, I never said I was anything great at it, did I? I said I can playsome, and I can. If you'd just keep your tongue to home and leave me beI--"
"SILENCE!" shouted the light keeper again. The domestic squabble brokeoff in the middle and some irreverent giggles from other sections ofthe circle subsided. Captain Jethro's indignant gaze swept the group.Primmie said afterward, "You couldn't see him glare at you, but youcould FEEL him doin' it." When the stillness was absolute the captainasked, "Where is your fiddle, Abel?"
"Eh?" Mr. Harding paused and cleared his throat. "Why," he stammered,"it's--it's to home. Er--er--that's where I keep it, you know."
"Humph!" Captain Jethro's scorn was withering. "And home is eleven mileaway or such matter. How much good is your bein' able to play on itgoin' to do us when 'tain't here for you to play on?"
There were discreet snickers from the dimness. Mrs. Hardin's voice wasaudible, saying, "There, I told you so, foolhead." The captain once moreordered and obtained silence.
"We've had enough of this," he growled. "This ain't a play-actin' showto laugh at. If we can't behave accordin' as we should we'll give it up.Marietta says she can't get into contact with the sperit world withoutmusic. Would it do if we was to sing somethin', Marietta?"
Miss Hoag faltered that she didn't know's she hardly believed 'twould."I always HAVE had some sort of instrumental music, Cap'n Jethro. Don'tseem to me's if I could hardly get along without it."
The captain grunted again. "Can't anybody play ANYTHING?" he demanded."Anything that's within hailin' distance, I mean."
Another silent interval. And then a voice said, timidly, "I can play themouth organ."
It was Primmie's voice and as she was sitting next Zach Bloomer, who wasnext Galusha Bangs, the unexpectedness of it made the latter jump. MissPhipps, next in line on Galusha's left, jumped likewise.
"Primmie," she said, sharply, "don't be silly."
"But I CAN, Miss Martha. You know I can. Zach knows it, too. You'veheard me, ain't you, Zach? Ain't you? Ain't you?"
Thus urged, Mr. Bloomer answered, "I've heard you," he said. And added,fervently and under his breath, "Godfreys!"
"Primmie," began Martha, again, but Captain Jethro broke in.
"Quiet, Martha Phipps," he ordered. "Stop your talkin', all hands.Marietta, do you cal'late you could get under way with mouth organmusic?"
"Why--why, I don't know. Maybe I could if--if it played church tunes."
"Can you play hymn tunes, Primmie?"
"Yes, sir. I can play 'Sweet By and By' and 'Brighten the Corner WhereYou Be' and 'Pack up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag.' No, that ain'tone, is it? But I can play--"
"Where's your mouth organ now?"
"It's in my jacket pocket out yonder in the kitchen."
"Go fetch it."
Sounds as of one individual falling over others, accompanied byexclamations and confusion, indicated that Miss Cash was going in searchof the instrument. Lulie made one more attempt at persuasion.
"Father," she pleaded, "what makes you try to hold a seance to-night?You've been 'way over to Trumet and back and you must be tired. Youaren't very well, you know, and all this excitement isn't good for you.Won't you please--"
Her father stamped his foot. "Set down," he shouted. "I know what I'mdoin'. This is my house and I'll do as I please in it. Stop! I don'twant to hear any more. Where's that Cash girl?"
Primmie was returning bearing the mouth organ. She plowed through thecircle like an armored tank through a wire entanglement and reached thelight keeper's side.
"Here I be," she announced, "and here 'tis. Shall I commence to beginnow? Where do you want me to set?"
She was given a seat in the front row, facing the medium. CaptainHallett, after some final instructions to Zacheus concerning the turninglower of one of the lamps and a last order for stillness, gave thecommand.
"All ready! Heave ahead!"
Miss Hoag leaned back in her rocking-chair and closed her eyes. Primmiedrew a long breath and the first bars of the "Sweet By and By" wereforcibly evicted from the harmonica. Zach Bloomer, the irrepressible,leaned over and breathed into his neighbor's ear.
"Say, Mr. Bangs," he whispered, "if you was a sperit would you leave acomf'table berth up aloft to come and anchor alongside THAT noise?"
The "noise" became more enthusiastic as the musician warmed to her work.Miss Hoag stirred uneasily in her chair. Captain Jethro bent toward her.
"Tell her not to play so LOUD," whispered Marietta. The captain obeyed.
"Come, come, Primmie," he said, irritably. "Go easy on it, soften herdown. Play low. And stop stompin' out the time with your foot."
Thus cautioned Miss Cash played low, very low, and also very slowly."The Sweet By and By" droned on, over and over, i
n the dark stuffinessof the crowded room. Galusha Bangs, who had been at first much amused,began to be bored. Incidentally he was extremely sorry for Lulie, poorgirl, who was compelled to be present at this ridiculous exhibition ofher father's obsession. Heavy breathing sounded near at hand, growingsteadily heavier until it became a snore. The snore broke off in themiddle and with a sharp and most unchurchly ejaculation, as if thesnorer had been awakened suddenly and painfully. Galusha fanciedhe recognized Mr. Harding's voice. Primmie ended her thirty-secondrendition of the "Sweet By and By" chorus and began the thirty-third.
Then Miss Hoag began to groan. The first groan was so loud andunexpected that Miss Cash gasped "My savin' soul!" into the mouth organ.Marietta continued to groan, also to pound the floor with her heels. Inher capacity as "medium" she, like other mediums--mediums of her stripe,that is--was "getting under control."
Then followed the usual sort of thing which follows at this sort ofseance. Miss Hoag, through her "control," began to receive and transmit"messages." The control spoke in a kind of husky howl, so to speak,and used a lingo most unusual on this plane, however common it may beelsewhere.
Mr. Bangs was startled when first favored with a sample ofthis--literally--unearthly elocution.
"Oh, dear me!" he exclaimed. "Oh, dear! WHY does she do that? Is--is sheill?"
Miss Beebe answered, from her place in the circle. "It's her speritcontrol talkin' now," she whispered. "She's controlled by a Chinawoman."
"Name of Little Cherry Blossom," whispered Mr. Harding.
"Sshh!" said several voices, indignantly.
"Allee samee comee manee namee Johnee," announced Little Cherry Blossom."Anybody heree knowee manee Johnee?"
Several did, of course, and John was soon undergoing cross-examination.He proved to be the cousin of Mrs. Hannah Peters' first husband who wasdrowned on the Grand Banks fifteen or sixteen years before. "John-ee"was, like so many of his kind, a bit shaky on names and dates but strongon generalities. However, everybody except the few skeptics from thePhipps' place seemed satisfied and made no embarrassing comments.
Everybody but Mr. Bloomer, that is; Zacheus, the philosopher who hadstudied his profession aboard a lightship, commented on everything.Sitting next Mr. Bangs, he put his lips close to the ear of thelast-named gentleman and breathed caustic sarcasm into it. Galusha foundit distracting and, at times, annoying, for Mr. Bloomer's mustache wasbristly.
"Little Cherry Blossom talks's if she had a cold," whispered Zach."Better take a little cherry rum, hadn't she, eh?"
The control was loudly paging a person named Noah.
"Sperit heree wantee talkee with Noah," she cried. "Wheree isee Noah?"
"'Board the Ark, most likely," whispered Mr. Bloomer. "Be hollerin' forJonah next, won't she? Cal'late so. Yus, yus."
Message after message came and was recognized and acknowledged by thedevout. The group from the Phipps' house had so far been slighted,so, too, had Captain Jethro Hallett. There was a slight hubbub inthe circle, owing to the fact that two of its members simultaneouslyrecognized and laid claim to the same spirit, each declaring him tobe or have been an entirely different person when living. During thislittle controversy Zacheus whispered in his neighbor's ear.
"Say, Mr. Bangs," he whispered, "this is gettin' kind of tiresome, ain'tit? Must be worse for Nelse, though, eh?"
Galusha did not catch his meaning. "For--for whom?" he asked. "I begyour pardon."
"Oh, you're welcome. Why, I mean Nelse Howard must be gettin' more tiredthan we be, shut up in that front hall the way he is."
"Shut up--Why, really, I--Mr. Howard left the house long ago, didn't he?By the front door, you know."
Zach chuckled. "That front door is locked and the key's been lost formore'n a fortn't. Cal'late Lulie forgot that when she told him to skipout that way. He can't GET out. He's in that front entry now and he'llhave to stay there till all hands have gone and the cap'n gone to bed.That's a note, ain't it!... Sshh! They're goin' to begin again."
The identity of the spiritual visitor having been tentativelyestablished, the "communications" continued. Galusha paid little heedto them. The thought of young Howard a prisoner in the front hall wasuncomfortable of itself, but still more uncomfortable was the mentalpicture of what might happen should his presence there be discoveredby Captain Hallett. The old light keeper was bigoted and absurdlyprejudiced against his daughter's lover at all times. An encounterbetween them would always be most unpleasant. But this evening, when thecaptain was in his most fanatical mood, for him to find Nelson Howardhiding in his own house--well, the prospect was almost alarming.
Galusha, much troubled in mind, wondered if Lulie had remembered thelocked door and the lost key. Did she realize her fiance's plight? Ifso, she must be undergoing tortures at that moment. Nelson, of course,could take care of himself and was in no danger of physical injury; thedanger was in the effect of the discovery upon Captain Jethro. He wasnot well, he was in a highly nervous and excited state. Galusha began tofidget in his chair. More than ever he wished the seance would end.
However, it did not end. The messages continued to come. Apparently theline of spirits waiting to communicate was as long as that at the ticketoffice of a ball park on a pleasant Saturday. And suddenly Mr. Bangs wasstartled out of his fidgets by the husky voice of Little Cherry Blossomcalling the name which was in his mind at the moment.
"Jethro," wheezed Little Cherry Blossom. "Jethro. Some one heree wanteetalkee Jethro."
Martha Phipps, sitting next to Galusha, stirred and uttered an impatientexclamation under her breath. From beyond, where Lulie sat, Galushacaught a quick gasp and a frightened "Oh, dear!" Zacheus whispered,"Godfreys!" Primmie bounced up and down with excitement. The circlerustled and then grew very still.
"Well," growled Captain Jethro, a quaver in his deep voice, "I'm here.It is--is it you, Julia?"
Little Cherry Blossom said that it was. Mr. Bangs heard another sniff ofdisgust from Miss Phipps. He was himself thoroughly disgusted and angry.This mockery of a great sorrow and a great love seemed so wicked andcruel. Marietta Hoag and her ridiculous control ceased to be ridiculousand funny. He longed to shake the fat little creature, shake her untilher silly craze for the limelight and desire to be the center of asensation were thoroughly shaken out of her. Marietta was not wicked,she was just silly and vain and foolish, that was all; but at least halfof humanity's troubles are caused by the fools.
"Julia," said Captain Jethro, his big voice trembling as he said it,"I--I'm here, Julia. What is it?"
"Julia she say she gladee you heree," gurgled Little Cherry Blossom.Martha Phipps drew a breath between her teeth as if in pain. Her handsqueezed Lulie's tight. She was suffering with the girl. As forGalusha, sensitive soul that he was, he blushed all over in sympatheticembarrassment.
"I'm glad to be here, Julia," said the captain. "You know it, too, Iguess likely. Is all well with you, Julia?"
Cherry Blossom in horrible pidgin English affirmed that all was well,all was happiness and delight and bliss in the realm beyond. Galusha didnot hear much of this, he was suffering too acutely to listen. Then heheard Captain Jethro ask another question.
"Is there any special message you've got for me, Julia?"
Yes, there was. "Daughter, daughter." There was some message about adaughter.
"Lulie? Is there somethin' you want to tell me about Lulie, Julia?"
"Father!" It was Lulie herself who uttered the exclamation. "Father,"she cried. "Don't! Oh, don't! Please don't!"
Her father's reply was a furious roar.
"Stop!" he thundered. "Be still! Don't you say another word!"
"But, father, PLEASE--"
"Stop!... Julia, Julia... are you there? What is it about Lulie? Tellme."
Little Cherry Blossom herself seemed a bit nervous, for her next messagewas given with a trifle less assurance. It was an incoherent repetitionand re-repetition of the word "daughter" and something about "lookingout" and "danger."
Captain Jeth
ro caught at the word.
"Danger?" he queried. "Danger for Lulie? Is that what you mean, Julia?I'm to look out on account of danger comin' for Lulie? Is that it,Julia?"
Lulie made one more desperate plea.
"Father," she begged, "please don't! Of course there isn't any dangerfor me. This is SO ridiculous."
"Be still, I tell you.... Is that it, Julia? Is it?" Little CherryBlossom with some hesitation indicated that that was it. A rustle ofexcitement stirred the circle.
"What kind of danger?" demanded the light keeper, eagerly. "Can't youtell me that, Julia?"
Apparently she could not, for there was no reply. The captain tried tohelp by suggestion.
"Danger from--from her bein'--er--hurt?" he suggested. "Being runover--or--or--drowned or somethin'?"
No, that was not it.
"Danger from somebody--some person?"
"Yes." Another rustle of excitement in the circle. The light keepercaught his breath.
"Julia," he demanded, "do you mean that--that our girl's in danger fromsome--some MAN?"
"FATHER! I won't stand this. It's perfectly--"
"Lulie Hallett, you set down! Set DOWN!"
Martha Phipps laid a hand upon the girl's arm. "Don't excite him," shewhispered. "I'd sit down if I were you, Lulie."
Lulie, trembling with indignation, subsided under protest. Little CherryBlossom burst out with a gush of gibberish concerning some man, "bad,wicked manee," who was trying to influence "daughter" in some wayor other, just how was not particularly intelligible. Captain Jethrooffered another suggestion.
"Julia," he demanded, "is it the outsider, the small, dark man you saidafore? Is it him?"
Yes, it was. The rustle in the circle was now so pronounced as to amountalmost to a disturbance. Mr. Abel Harding whispered audibly, "It'sNelson Howard she means, don't she?" His wife even more audibly orderedhim to "shut up, for the land sakes." Primmie dropped the mouth organon the floor with a metallic clatter. Startled, she made her customaryappeal to the ruler of Israel.
"It's him, eh?" growled the light keeper. "I thought so. I've got my eyeon him, Julia, and he knows it. What's he up to now? Where is he?"
"Near her."
"Near her? Here?... In this HOUSE, do you mean?"
A moment's hesitation, and then, "Ye-es, I--I shouldn't wonder."
This bit of information, even though unusually qualified consideringits spirit source, caused a genuine sensation. Almost every one saidsomething. Zach Bloomer whistled shrilly in Mr. Bangs' ear and said,"Godfreys!" Galusha said, "Oh, dear me!" with distressful emphasis.Martha Phipps and Lulie clutched each other and the latter uttereda faint scream. Primmie Cash, who had stooped to pick up the droppedharmonica, fell on her knees beside it. Captain Jethro stamped androared for silence.
"Be still!" he shouted. "Stop! STOP! By the everlastin',I'll--I'll--Julia! Julia!"
But Julia did not answer this time. Neither did Little Cherry Blossom.Whether Miss Hoag was frightened at the effect of her message or whethershe figured that she had caused sensation sufficient for one day arematters for conjecture. At all events she stirred in her chair andannounced faintly, and in her natural, everyday tones and accent, thatshe wished a drink of water.
"Where--where be I?" she gasped. "I--Oh, fetch me a drink, somebody,won't you, please?"
The light keeper, paying no need whatever, was shouting his wife's name.
"Julia! Julia!" he cried. "Don't go! I want you! I need you!"
Lulie called "Father" and hastened toward him. Zacheus whispered inGalusha's ear that he cal'lated 'twouldn't do no harm to turn on theglim and proceeded forthwith to turn up the wick of one of the lamps.The sudden illumination showed Captain Jethro standing in the middleof the floor, his face flushed, his brows drawn together and his lipstwitching. He was glaring about the room and the expression upon hisface was so fierce that Mr. Bangs said, "Oh, dear me!" again when he sawit.
Lulie put her arm about the light keeper's shoulder. "Father, father,"she pleaded, "please don't look that way. Come and sit down. Please do!"
But sitting down was far from the captain's thoughts just then. Heimpatiently tossed his daughter's arm aside.
"So he's here, is he," he growled, between his teeth. "He's in my house,is he? By the everlastin', I'll show him!"
Martha Phipps pushed her way toward the pair.
"There, there, Jethro," she said, quietly, "don't act this way. Don'tyou see you're frightenin' Lulie half out of her wits? There's nothin'for you to look so savage about. Come over and sit down and rest. You'retired."
"No, I ain't tired, either. Be quiet, woman. By the Lord, if he's inthis house I'll find him. And WHEN I find him--"
"Sshh, sshh! What in the world are you talkin' about? Marietta didn'tsay--"
"Julia--my spirit wife--told me that that skulkin' swab of a NelseHoward was here in this house. You heard her. Let go of me, both of you!Now where is he?"
He was turning directly toward the door leading to the front hall. Luliewas very white and seemed on the point of collapse. Even Miss Phipps,usually so calm and equal to the emergency, appeared to find this onea trifle too much for her, for she glanced desperately about as ifin search of help. Zach Bloomer repeated "Godfreys" several times andlooked, for him, almost excited. As for Primmie, she was so frightenedas to be speechless, a miracle far more amazing than any other which theseance had thus far produced. The remaining members of the circle werewhispering in agitation and staring wide-eyed at the captain and thoseabout him.
Then a masculine voice, a very soft, gentle masculine voice, said, "Ibeg your pardon, Captain Hallett, but may I--ah--ask a question?"
The very gentleness of the voice and the calmness of its tone had moreeffect in securing the light keeper's attention than any shout couldpossibly have done. Captain Jethro stopped in his stride.
"Eh?" he grunted. "Eh? What's that?"
Galusha Bangs moved forward, quietly elbowing his way from the backrow of the circle to the open space before the inner line of chairs andtheir excited occupants.
"It is--ah--I, Captain Hallett," he observed, calmly, "I wished to aska question. You see, I have been very much interested bythe--ah--manifestations here this evening. Very much so, really--indeed,yes."
The light keeper interrupted. "Don't bother me!" he ordered, savagely."I'm goin' to find that sneakin' rascal, and--Get out of my way, willyou?"
Somehow or other the little Egyptologist had moved forward until,without appearing to have made an effort to do so, he was directly inthe captain's way--that is, between the latter and the door of the fronthall. The command to get out of the way he acknowledged politely andwith caution.
"Yes, yes, of course," he said, hastily. "I'm very sorry. Very sorryindeed. I beg your pardon, Captain Hallett. Now there is one point inthis lady's--ah--messages--ah--communications, you know--which puzzlesme somewhat. You see--"
"I can't stop to talk to you now. I'm goin' to--WILL you get out of myway?"
"Was I in your way? I BEG your pardon. How clumsy of me! I--ah--You see,this lady's last message seemed to point so directly in my directionthat I felt constrained to speak. You see, when she, or her--control, isit?--mentioned my being here in your house and accused me of havingan evil influence upon your daughter, I--well, I was surprisedand--ah--hurt."
A general gasp of astonishment from the circle behind him interrupted.Mr. Abel Harding shouted "Eh!" and, for a wonder, his wife did nottake him to task for it. For the matter of that, she had utteredan exclamation also. So had Ophelia Beebe and many others. Zacheuswhistled. Primmie once more referred to her saving soul. Martha Phippscried out.
As for Jethro Hallett, he stared uncomprehendingly at the Bangs' facewhich looked so earnestly and gravely up into his. He drew a hand acrosshis forehead and breathed heavily.
"Wha--what are you talkin' about?" he demanded. "Who--who said anythingabout you?"
Galusha transferred his gaze from the light keeper's countenance to thatof Miss Marietta
Hoag. The medium's moonlike visage bore an expressionof intense surprise.
"Why--ah--she did," replied Galusha, gently. "This lady here. She saidthat an outsider, a small, dark man, was exerting an evil influence uponMiss Lulie--upon your daughter. Then she said this person was here inyour house. Now, as I am the only person present who answers to thatdescription, naturally I--well, I--really, I must protest. I have thehighest respect and regard for your daughter, Captain Hallett. I shouldbe the last, the very last, to wish to exert any such influence."
"Nonsense!" The amazed captain shouted the word. "What are you talkin'about? 'Twan't you she said. 'Twas that Howard swab. He's been hangin'around Lulie for more 'n a year."
"Ah--pardon me, Captain Hallett, but really I must make my point. Itcould not have been Mr. Howard to whom the--ah--control referred. Mr.Howard is somewhat dark, perhaps, but he is not small. I am both darkand small. And I am here, whereas Mr. Howard apparently is not. And Iam, beyond question, an outsider. Therefore--"
"Nonsense, I tell you! She said Nelson Howard was in this house."
"Pardon me, pardon me, Captain Hallett. She said a small, dark man, anoutsider, was in this house. She mentioned no names. You mentioned nonames, did you, Miss--ah--Hoag?"
Marietta, thus unexpectedly appealed to, gasped, swallowed, turned redand stammered that she didn't know's she did; adding hastily that shenever remembered nothin' of what she said in the trance state. Afterthis she swallowed again and observed that she didn't see WHY shecouldn't have that drink of water.
"So you see, Captain Hallett," went on Mr. Bangs, with the same gentlepersistence, "being the only person present answering the descriptiongiven by the medium I feel somewhat--ah--distressed. I must insist thatI am unjustly accused. I must ask Miss Phipps here and your daughterherself to say whether or not my conduct toward Miss Lulie has not beenquite--ah--harmless and without--ah--malevolence. I shall be glad toleave it to them."
Of the pair to whom this appeal for judgment was made Martha Phippsalone heeded it. Lulie, still white and trembling, was intent onlyupon her father. But Martha rose to the occasion with characteristicpromptness.
"Of course, Mr. Bangs," she declared, "you've behaved just as nice asany one could be in this world. I could hardly believe my ears whenMarietta said you were an evil influence towards Lulie. You ought to becareful about sayin' such things, Marietta. Why, you never met Mr. Bangsbefore this evenin'. How could you know he was an evil influence?"
Miss Hoag, thus attacked from an unexpected quarter, was thrown stillmore out of mental poise. "I never said he was one," she declared,wildly. "I only just said there was a--a--I don't know what I said.Anyhow _I_ never said it, 'twas my control talkin'. I'll leave it to'Phelia Beebe. You know I don't know what I'm sayin' when I'm inthe trance state, don't you, 'Phelia? Anyhow, all I said was.... Oh,'Phelia," wildly, "why don't you help me out?... And--and I've asked noless'n four mortal times for that drink of water. I--I--Oh, oh--"
She became hysterical. The circle ceased to be a circle and became aseries of agitated groups, all talking at once. Mr. Bloomer seized theopportunity to turn up the wick of another lamp. Lulie, clinging to herfather's arm, led him toward a chair in a secluded corner.
"Sit down, father," she urged. "Sit down, and rest. Please do!"
The old light keeper's fiery rage seemed to be abating. He passed hishand across his forehead several times and his expression changed. Helooked like one awakening from a bad dream.
"I--I cal'late I will set down for a minute or so, Lulie," he faltered."I do feel sort of tired, somehow or 'nother. I don't want to talk anymore, Mr. Bangs," he added, wearily. "I--I'll have to think it all out.Lulie, I cal'late they'd better go home. Tell 'em all to go. I'm tired."
Martha Phipps passed from group to group whispering.
"I guess we'd better go," she suggested. "He's pretty well worn out, I'mafraid. Everybody's things are there in the dinin' room or in the sideentry. We'd better go right away, it seems to me."
Galusha had gotten his "things" already, his coat was over his arm.The others followed his example. A few minutes more and the last ofthe "ghost seiners" had left the house and were climbing into theautomobiles in the yard. Marietta Hoag's voice was the last distinctlyaudible.
"I can't help it," she wailed. "It wasn't my fault anyway. And--and,besides, that Bangs man hadn't any right to say 'twas him I meant.... Imean the control meant. It wasn't him at all.... I mean I don't believe'twas. Oh, dear! I WISH you'd stop askin' questions, Abe Hardin'. CAN'Tyou stop?"
Galusha and Primmie set out for the Phipps' homestead ahead of itsowner, but she caught up with them at the gate.
"He's goin' right up to bed," she said. "Zach will look out for thelight to-night."
"And--" asked Galusha, with significant emphasis.
Martha did not reply. She waited until they were in the sitting room andalone, Primmie having been sentenced to go to her own room and to bed.Miss Cash had no desire for bed; her dearest wish was to remain with hermistress and their lodger and unload her burden of conversation.
"My savin' soul!" she began. "My savin' soul! Did you ever in your borndays! When that Marietta Hoag--or that Chinee critter--or Cap'nJeth's ghost's wife--or whoever 'twas talkin' that spirit jabber--whenshe--them, I mean--give out that a small, dark man was right there inthat house, I thought--"
"Primmie, go to bed."
"Yes'm. And when I remembered that Nelse Howard was--"
"Go to bed this minute!"
"Yes'm. But how do you 'spose he's goin' to--"
Miss Phipps conducted her to the foot of the back stairs and, returning,closed each door she passed through behind her. Then she answered herlodger's unspoken question.
"Lulie will go with her father and help him up to his room," she said."After he is out of the way Nelson can come out and Zach, I suppose,will let him out by the side door."
Galusha smiled faintly. "The poor fellow must have been somewhatdisturbed when that--ah--medium person announced that the 'evilinfluence' was in the house," he observed.
Martha sniffed. "I guess likely we were all disturbed," she said."Especially those of us who knew. But how did Marietta know? That's whatI can't understand. Or did she just guess?"
Before Bangs could answer there was a rap on the windowpane. Martha,going to the door, admitted Nelson Howard himself. The young man's firstspeech was a question.
"Do you know what became of my hat?" he asked. "Like an idiot I hung myhat and coat in that entry off the dining room when I went in. When Icame out just now the hat was gone."
Martha looked troubled.
"It wasn't that cap you wear so much, at the station and everywhere?"she asked. "I hope no one took THAT; they'd know whose 'twas in aminute."
"Yes, that's what I'm afraid of. I... Eh? Why, there it is now."
The cap was lying on the couch beside Mr. Bangs' overcoat. Howard pickedit up with an air of great relief.
"You brought it over for me, Mr. Bangs, didn't you?" he cried.
"Why--why, yes, I--I did," stammered Galusha. "You see, I--"
The young man broke in enthusiastically. "By jingo, that was cleverof you!" he cried. "I was afraid some one had got that cap who wouldrecognize it. Say," he went on, "I owe you about everything to-night,Mr. Bangs. When Marietta gave out her proclamation that the 'smalldark man' was in that house I came nearer to believing in her kind ofspiritualism than I ever thought I should. I was scared--not on my ownaccount, I hope--but for Lulie and her father. If the old cap'n hadfound me hiding in that front hall I don't know what he might have done,or tried to do. And I don't know what effect it might have had on him.He was--well, judging from what I could hear, he was in a state thatwas--that was pretty near to--to--"
While he was hesitating Martha Phipps finished the sentence. "To whatthey put people in asylums for," she said, emphatically. "He was, thereis no doubt about that. It's a mercy he didn't find you, Nelson. And ifI were you I wouldn't take any such chances again."
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p; "I shan't, you needn't worry. When Lulie and I meet after this it willbe--Humph! well, I don't know where it will be. Even the graveyarddoesn't seem to be safe. But I must go. Tell Lulie I got away safe andsound, thanks to Mr. Bangs here. And tell her to 'phone me to-morrow.I'm anxious about Cap'n Jeth. Sometimes I think it might be just as wellif I went straight to him and told him--"
Again Martha interrupted.
"My soul, no!" she exclaimed. "Not now, not till he gets that 'smalldark man' notion out of his head."
"I suppose you're right. And Mr. Bangs has set him guessing on that,too. Honestly, Mr. Bangs, you've just about saved--well, if you haven'tsaved everybody's life you've come pretty near to saving the cap'n'sreason, I do believe. How Lulie and I can ever thank you enough I don'tknow."
Galusha turned red. "Ah--ah--don't--ah--please don't," he stammered. "Itwas just--ah--a silly idea of mine. On the spur of the moment it came tome that--ah--that the medium person hadn't said WHO the small, dark manwas. And as I am rather dark perhaps--and small, certainly--it occurredto me to claim identity. Almost every one else had received some sortof--ah--spirit message and, you see, I didn't wish to be neglected."
"Well, it was the smartest dodge that I ever heard of. By jingo, it was!Say, you don't suppose Cap'n Jeth will take it seriously and begin toget down on YOU, do you?"
Martha looked grave. "I was wonderin' that myself," she said.
Galusha smiled. "Oh, dear no," he said. "I think there is no danger ofthat, really. But, Mr. Howard, in regard to that--ah--cap of yours, I...Eh?... Um... Why, dear me, I wonder--"
"Why is it you wonder, Mr. Bangs?" asked Martha, after a moment's wait.
"Why--ah--considering that that cap of Mr. Howard's is one which, soyou and he say, he is in the habit of wearing, and that many people haveoften seen him wear, I was wondering--Dear me, yes, that might explain."
"Explain what?"
"Why, it occurred to me that as that cap was hanging inthe--ah--entry--the little hall off Captain Hallett's dining room--whenthe people came in, and as the medium person--Miss--ah--bless me, whatIS her name?--as she came in with the rest, it occurred to me that shemight have seen the cap and--"
Miss Phipps clapped her hands. "She saw it and knew whose it was," shecried, excitedly. "Of course she did! THAT'S how she guessed thesmall, dark man was in the house. THAT'S how 'Little Toddy Blossom,' orwhatever her name is, got so smart all at once. Well, well! Of course,of course!"
"It--ah--occurred to me that that might possibly explain," observedGalusha, placidly.
"It does. But, Nelson, what set Marietta and her spirits after you inparticular? Has she got any grudge against you?"
"Not that I know of, Martha. She knows I don't take any stock in herkind of spirit messages. I don't think she likes me very well on thataccount."
"Well, perhaps, that is reason enough. Or perhaps she just happened thefirst time to mention the small dark man hit or miss and Cap'n Jethropinned the tag to you; after that she did her best to keep it there.Well, thanks to Mr. Bangs, the cap'n isn't as sure as he was, that'ssome comfort."
Martha accompanied Nelson to the door. After he had gone and shereturned to the sitting room she found her lodger standing, lamp inhand, at the foot of the stairs.
"Goin' to turn in, Mr. Bangs?" she asked. "Goin' to bed, I mean? Fatheralways used to call it turnin' in; it's a saltwater way of sayin' it,just as so many of his expressions were. I guess you must be prettytired. I know I am. Take it by and large--that is another of father'sexpressions--we've had an excitin' evenin'."
Galusha admitted the fact. His landlady regarded him with an oddexpression.
"Do you know," she said, suddenly, "you are the most surprisin' person Iever met, Mr. Bangs?... There! I didn't mean to say that," she added."I was thinkin' it and it sort of spoke itself, as you might say. I begyour pardon."
"Oh, that's quite all right, quite, Miss Phipps," Galusha assured her."I have no doubt you are perfectly correct. No doubt I am surprising;at least most people seem to find a peculiar quality in most ofmy--ah--actions." He smiled his gentle smile, and added, "I presume itmust be a part of my profession. In books, you know--in novels--thefew I have read--the archaeologist or the scientific man or the collegeprofessor is always peculiar."
She shook her head. "That isn't just what I meant," she said. "So far asthat goes I've generally noticed that folks with little brains are fondof criticizin' those with bigger ones. Part of such criticisms is 'don'tunderstand' and the rest is plain jealousy. But what I meant by callin'you surprisin' was--was--Well," with a half laugh, "I might just as wellsay it plain. Ever since you've been here, Mr. Bangs, the feelin' hasbeen growin' on me that you were probably the wisest man in the worldabout some things and the most simple and impractical about others. Overthere in Egypt you know everything, I do believe. And yet right downhere on Cape Cod you need somebody to keep Ras Beebe and Raish Pulciferfrom cheatin' you out of your last cent. That's what I thought.'Mr. Bangs is wonderful,' I said to myself, 'but I'm afraid he isn'tpractical.' And yet to-night, over there, you were the only practicalone amongst us."
Galusha protested. "Oh, no, Miss Phipps," he said. "Dear me, no. Myclaiming to be the small, dark man was, as I said, merely a silly notionwhich came to me. I acted on the spur of the moment. It was nothing."
"It was about everything," stoutly. "It was your notion, as you call it,that saved Cap'n Jethro from findin' Nelson Howard in that front hall;and savin' him from that saved us from havin' a crazy man on our hands,I truly believe. And you did it so right on the instant, so matter offact and common sense. Really, Mr. Bangs, I--I don't know what to say toyou."
Galusha smiled. "You said it before," he observed, "when you said youwere surprised. I am surprised myself. Dear me, yes."
"Don't! That was a foolish thing for me to say and you mustn't takeit the wrong way. And your bringing Nelson's hat over here instead ofleavin' it in that entry for more of Marietta's crowd to notice and, tento one, recognize! We all knew it was hangin' there. I saw Nelson hangit there, myself, when he came in. But did _I_ think to take it out ofsight? Did _I_--Why, what is it? What's the matter?"
Her lodger was protesting violently. "Don't, don't, don't, Miss Phipps,"he begged. "Please don't! You see, that hat--that cap of Mr. Howard's--"
"Yes, you brought it over here."
"Yes, I--I brought it over. I brought it--but--"
"But what?"
"But I didn't know that I did. I must have been thinking of somethingelse when I went after my things and it is a mercy that I took my owncoat. It was only by accident that I took the--ah--young man's cap. Iwas under the impression that it was my own. I presume my own cap ishanging in the Hallett entry at this moment.... Ah--good-night, MissPhipps. Good night. I have had a very pleasant evening, very pleasantindeed."
Galusha the Magnificent Page 7
