"Wait till we reach a carriage, then I"ll put you in possession of all the facts," replied Serviss, and led the way to a cab. "I am greatly relieved to see you to-day."
"I came as soon as your wire reached me; but the messenger arrived during a big snow-storm, and the trail was impa.s.sable for a day. Now, then, professor, let"s have the whole story," he said, as the driver slammed the door. "Where are they and what is the matter?"
"They are here in New York, housed with a man named Pratt, a wealthy spiritist, and they are in excellent bodily health, but your daughter is threatened with a publicity which is most dangerous."
"How is that?"
"Clarke has decided to give an oration in the Spirit Temple announcing his faith and defying the unbeliever. As the climax of this discourse he intends to announce your daughter"s name and her willingness to meet any test. She objects to this publicity, but Pratt, your wife, and the "guides" all unite in forcing her into acquiescence."
"I see," said Lambert, reflectively. "When does this speech come off?"
"Sunday morning at eleven."
"I reckon I can stop that," was the miner"s laconic comment.
"But this is not the only danger," Serviss hurried on to say. "This man Pratt is a rankly selfish old man, who is surrounded by flatterers and those who live off his desire to commune with his dead wife and daughters. He is accustomed to have his own private "mediums" and to appropriate their entire time and energy till he is weary of them--or till a new one comes to his knowledge--then it is his pitiless habit to "expose" them and throw them into the street. He is the worst possible man for your daughter to know, and to be in his house is a misfortune."
"How does she happen to be there?"
"Clarke took them there. He was eager to secure Pratt"s endors.e.m.e.nt of your daughter, and also of the book he is about to publish. Your daughter hates Pratt, and is very anxious to leave, but is afraid to do so for fear of him and of her "controls." Pratt has threatened to denounce her if she leaves him."
"Is he in love with her?"
"I don"t think so--not in the way you mean. He is bound up in her powers, and would do anything to keep her. But she must be taken away at once and Clarke"s oration stopped. I would have interfered, but I had no authority to act. Your wife is satisfied to remain, and the "chief control," her father, insists upon their remaining, and Clarke told me last night that your daughter was his affianced wife. You can see how helpless I am, even though your daughter in her normal mood begged me to save her from madness. I regard her condition as very critical. To expose her to a public trial of her powers may unsettle her reason."
Lambert was profoundly moved by Morton"s rapid statement. "What would you advise me to do?"
"Take her away from that house and Clarke"s influence instantly, no matter if your wife opposes it."
"Are we on our way there now?"
"Yes, we"ll be there in a few minutes. My sister likes your wife and daughter and has invited them to stay with her for a few days. This they have promised to do. I suggest, therefore, that you take them immediately to our home and so get your daughter into a totally different mental atmosphere. This plan will give you time to decide on future action."
"Do they know I"m coming?"
"No, I was afraid you might not come, and--"
"I"m glad you didn"t tell them. I wanted to test whether that ghostly grandfather would inform them. I"m mightily obliged to you, professor," he said, after a pause, and his eyes were moist with his emotion. "I never had a child of my own, and I"m fond of Viola. I"ve always resented this mediumistic business--she"s too fine to be spoiled by it--but she wasn"t mine, and Julia was so wrapped up in the faith I couldn"t stop it. Then Clarke came, and Julia minded what I said no more than if I"d been a chipmunk. So I climbed into the hills and stayed there."
"You believe in your daughter"s powers?"
"In her powers, yes; but not in every voice that speaks through her.
Have you attended any of her sittings?"
"We had one in my house last night. I laid the burden of the performance to Clarke. He was the juggler."
"Oh no, you"re wrong there. I have cause enough to hate Clarke, but he"s honest. No, the power is all in Viola. I"ve had those things go on with n.o.body but Julia and the girl in the room. No, Clarke is a crazy fool in some ways, but he don"t cheat."
His words were so direct, so weighted with conviction, that their force staggered Serviss, causing him to doubt his new explanation.
Tolman"s generalizations ceased at the moment to convince.
Lambert went on. "I suppose she _is_ committed to him. She wrote me that she guessed she might as well; so long as she was a medium n.o.body else would ever want her--or something like that. I feel guilty, I"ll admit, but you see how it was. The girl belongs to Julia, and since Clarke came into the family our correspondence has been pretty well confined to checks on my part and receipts on hers; but she"s had plenty of money, professor. There wasn"t any need of her going into anybody"s house. She could have gone to the best hotels--"
"I don"t see how you could have acted differently," said Serviss, with intent to comfort. "But I am sure that Viola"--he spoke the name with a little hesitation--"will eagerly go with you now. She begins to doubt Clarke and to realize the fearful mental peril in which she stands."
"That"s what I don"t understand, professor. This spiritualistic faith is mighty pretty on the face of it, but it seems to unhinge people"s minds. I"ve known two or three to go "locoed" with it; that"s what kept me from interfering. It isn"t for miners to monkey with; but I was in hopes that you would go into it. In fact, I was in hopes you"d got sort o" interested in Viola, and she in you, and that you"d help her someway."
"I am interested in her," replied Serviss, quickly, "and I want to help her; but so long as she is where she is, and acknowledges Clarke"s claims, I can do nothing.--Here we are!"
As they drew up before the looming front of Pratt"s house the miner whistled, "Must be one of those Wall Street pirates we read about.
Nothing spirit-like about this castle, eh?"
"Nor about its lord."
"Why, this beats the Palace Hotel in Salina," he continued, his wonder increasing, then he smiled. "What"ll you bet I don"t catch the "guides" napping! You send up word you"re here and leave me out o"
sight somewhere. I"d like to show Julia that her daddy don"t know all that blows over the roof."
Again Serviss doubted the husband"s ability to dominate the forces in opposition--so small and inoffensive did he seem and so ill-timed was his joke.
The colored man, more funereally dignified than before, showed them into the reception-room. "I"m afraid the ladies are out, sir, but if you"ll wait a moment I"ll see."
"Be sure Mrs. Lambert gets my card," said Serviss, with a note of warning in his voice. After the man left the room he turned to Lambert. "Pratt has a habit of intercepting the cards of visitors, and deciding who shall and who shall not see your daughter. He hates me and may order me out of the house." As they listened, the master"s deep grumbling vibrated through the ceiling. "You see! my card has gone to him, not to your wife. The old ruffian is probably giving instructions to have me shown the door."
To this Lambert made no reply other than to say: "We"ll soon know, the n.i.g.g.e.r is returning."
Some shade of the master"s mood was reflected in the voice of the servant, as he said: "The ladies are out and Mr. Pratt is engaged." He had the air of waiting for them to go.
"Out, are they?" remarked Lambert, casually. "Then we"ll wait till they come in. When did you say they"ll return?"
"I didn"t say, sir; probably not till very late."
"Is Clarke in?"
"I don"t know, sir. I think not."
"But your boss is in?"
The man hesitated. "Yes, sir; but I told you he"s engaged."
Lambert changed his tone. "Now, see here, Charley, you go right back and tell him that Joe Lambert, of Fremont Basin, is here on business, and would like to have a word with him if he don"t mind."
The colored man saw a light, and visibly weakened. "I--I"ll tell him,"
he stammered, and retired.
Lambert followed him to the door and called after him, in a clear tone: "You tell him to come down or I"ll go up. Now mind you say just those words."
Morton smiled with joy in Lambert"s decisive utterance. "So much for having authority, as well as the will to act!"