ially asked not to be disturbed before the seance. I'm sorry."

Winthrop's manner became suspiciously polite.

"Yes?" he inquired. "Well, nevertheless I think I'll ask her. Tell Miss
Vera, please," he said to Garrett, "that Mr. Winthrop would like a word
with her here," with significance he added, "in private."

In offended dignity, Judge Gaylor moved toward the door. "Dr. Rainey,"
he said stiffly, "will you please inform Mr. Hallowell that his guests
are now here, and that I have gone to bring them upstairs."

"Yes, but you won't bring them upstairs, please," said Winthrop, "until
you hear from me."

Gaylor flushed with anger and for a moment appeared upon the point of
mutiny. Then, as though refusing to consider himself responsible for the
manners of the younger man, he shrugged his shoulders and left the room.

With even less of consideration than he had shown to Judge Gaylor,
Winthrop turned upon Rainey.

"How's your patient?" he asked shortly. Rainey was sufficiently
influenced by the liquor he had taken to dare to resent Winthrop's
peremptory tone. His own in reply was designedly offensive.

"My patient?" he inquired.

"Mr. Hallowell," snapped Winthrop, "he's sick, isn't he?"

"Oh, I don't know," returned the Doctor.

"You don't know?" demanded Winthrop. "Well, I know. I know if he goes
through this thing tonight, he'll have another collapse. I saw one this
morning. Why don't you forbid it? You're his medical adviser, aren't
you?"

Rainey remained sullenly silent.

"Answer me!" insisted the District Attorney. "You are, aren't you?"

"I am," at last declared Rainey.

"Well, then," commanded Winthrop, "tell him to stop this. Tell him I
advise it."

Through his glasses Rainey blinked violently at the District Attorney,
and laughed. "I didn't know," he said, "that you were a medical man."

Winthrop looked at the Doctor so steadily, and for so long a time, that
the eyes of the young man sought the floor and the ceiling; and his
sneer changed to an expression of discomfort.

"I am not," said Winthrop. "I am the District Attorney of New York." His
tones were cold, precise; they fell upon the superheated brain of Dr.
Rainey like drops from an icicle.

"When I took over that office," continued Winthrop, "I found a complaint
against two medical students, a failure to report the death of an old
man in a private sanitarium."

Winthrop lowered his eyes, and became deeply absorbed in the toe of his
boot