red-shaded
light through the opening of the curtain.

By this time familiarity with the proceeding had bred its indifference,
and Lizzie lingered at the closet. The knocks that announced Stepan's
presence were a long time in coming; then there came an angry banging
and a choked cry from Albert. The table plainly rocked and rose from the
floor, and Jannie asked in the flat voice of the tranced:

"Is Edwin there? Here's his mother wanting to speak to him."

The reply, knocked out apparently on the wood mantel, and repeated for
the benefit of the visitor, said that those who had won to the higher
life couldn't be treated as a mere telephone exchange. Besides which, a
party was then in progress, and Stepan was keeping waiting Isabella,
consort of King Ferdinand, a lady who would not be put off. This
business about Edwin must keep. Miss Brasher said in a firm voice:

"His mother is much distressed and prays for him to speak."

The answer rattled off was not interpreted, but Lizzie gathered that it
was extremely personal and addressed to Miss Brasher. There was a
silence after that, and then the table rose to a perceptible height and
crashed back to the floor. In the startling pause which followed a
voice, entirely different from any that had spoken, cried clear and low:

"O God!"

This frightened Lizzie to such an extent that she fled to the familiar
propriety of the kitchen; but before she was out of hearing, Mrs.
Doothnack screamed, "Edwin!"

Nothing else happened. The firm Miss Brasher and her neighbor departed
immediately. Jannie, however looked a wreck, and cold towels and
Benedictine were liberally applied. She sobbed hysterically, and wished
that she were just a plain girl without a call. Further, she declared
that nothing could induce her to proceed with the sitting for Mrs.
Kraemer to-morrow. Stepan, before returning to Isabella of Castile, had
advised her against it. With such droves of soldiers coming over, it was
more and more difficult to control individual spirits. Things in the
beyond were in a frightful mess. They might see something that would
scare them out of their wits.

Mrs. Meeker, with a share of her sister's aplomb, said that she guessed
they could put up with a little scaring in the interest of Mrs. August
Kraemer. She was sick of doing favors for people like Agnes's friend,
and made it clear that she desired genteel associates both in the here
and the hereafter. Jannie's face began to twi