Something she _had_ to do; that was certain. And it happened, while she was pondering the problem, that the only thing she had not considered,--had not even thought of--was now abruptly presented to her.
For, as she lay there thinking, there came the sound of footsteps outside her door, and presently somebody knocked. And Athalie rose in the dusk of the room, switched on a single light, went to the door and opened it. And opportunity walked in wearing the shape of an elderly gentleman of substance, clothed as befitted a respectable dweller in any American city except New York.
"Good evening," he said, looking at her pleasantly but inquiringly.
"Is Mrs. Del Garmo in?"
"Mrs. Del Garmo?" repeated Athalie, surprised. "Why, Mrs. Del Garmo is dead!"
"G.o.d bless us!" he exclaimed in a shocked voice. "Is that so? Well, I"m sorry. I"m very sorry. Well--well--well! Mrs. Del Garmo! I certainly am sorry."
He looked curiously about him, shaking his head, and an absent expression came into his white-bearded face--which changed to lively interest when his eyes fell on the table where the crystal stood mounted between the p.r.o.ngs of the bronze tripod.
"No doubt," he said, looking at Athalie, "you are Mrs. Del Garmo"s successor in the occult profession. I notice a crystal on the table."
And in that instant the inspiration came to the girl, and she took it with the coolness and ruthlessness of last resort.
"What is it you wish?" she asked calmly, "a reading?"
He hesitated, looking at her out of aged but very honest eyes; and in a moment she was at his mercy, and the game had gone against her. She said, while the hot colour slowly stained her face: "I have never read a crystal. I had not thought of succeeding Mrs. Del Garmo until now--this moment."
"What is your name, child?" he asked in a gently curious voice.
"Athalie Greensleeve."
"You are not a trance-medium?"
"No. I am a stenographer."
"Then you are not psychical?"
"Yes, I am."
"What?"
"I am naturally clairvoyant."
He seemed surprised at first; but after he had looked at her for a moment or two he seemed less surprised.
"I believe you are," he said half to himself.
"I really am.... If you wish I could try. But--I don"t know how to go about it," she said with flushed embarra.s.sment.
He gazed at her it seemed rather solemnly and wistfully. "There is one thing very certain," he said; "you are honest. And few mediums are. I think Mrs. Del Garmo was. I believed in her. She was the means of giving me very great consolation."
Athalie"s face flushed with the shame and pity of her knowledge of the late Mrs. Del Garmo; and the thought of the secret cupboard with its nest of wires made her blush again.
The old gentleman looked all around the room and then asked if he might seat himself.
Athalie also sat down in the stiff arm-chair by the table where her crystal stood on its tripod.
"I wonder," he ventured, "whether you could help me. Do you think so?"
"I don"t know," replied the girl. "All I know about it is that I cannot help myself through crystal gazing. I never looked into a crystal but once. And what I searched for was not there."
The old gentleman considered her earnestly for a few moments. "Child,"
he said, "you are very honest. Perhaps you could help me. It would be a great consolation to me if you could. Would you try?"
"I don"t know how," murmured Athalie.
"Maybe I can aid you to try by telling you a little about myself."
The girl lifted her flushed face from the crystal:
"Don"t do that, please. If you wish me to try I will. But don"t tell me anything."
"Why not?"
"Because--I am--intelligent and quick--imaginative--discerning. I might unconsciously--or otherwise--be unfair. So don"t tell me anything. Let me see if there really is in me any ability."
He met her candid gaze mildly but unsmilingly; and she folded her slim hands in her lap and sat looking at him very intently.
"Is your name Symes?" she asked presently.
He nodded.
"Elisha Symes?"
"Yes."
"And--do you live in Brook--Brookfield--no!--Brookhollow?"
"Yes."
"That town is in Connecticut, is it not?"
"Yes."
His trustful gaze had altered, subtly. She noticed it.
"I suppose," she said, "you think I could have found out these things through dishonest methods."
"I was thinking so.... I am satisfied that you are honest, Miss Greensleeve."
"I really am--so far."
"Could you tell me how you learned my name and place of residence."
Her expression became even more serious: "I don"t know, Mr. Symes....