"I won't be responsible if you keep
this up."

With an exclamation of remorse, Vera ran to the side of the old man.
With Rainey on his other hand, she raised him upright upon his feet.

"Lean on me," begged the girl breathlessly. "I'm very strong. Lean on
me."

Mr. Hallowell shook his head. "No, child," he protested, "not you." He
turned to his old friend. "You help me, Henry," he begged.

With the authority of the medical man, Rainey waved Vance into the
bedroom. "Close those windows," he ordered. "You help me!" he commanded
of Gaylor. "Put your arm under him."

Mr. Hallowell, protesting feebly and leaning heavily upon the two men,
stumbled into the bedroom, and the door was shut behind him.

For a moment the girl and the man stood in silence, and then, as though
suddenly conscious of her presence, Winthrop turned and smiled.

The girl did not answer his smile. From under the shadow of the
picture hat and the ostrich feathers her eyes regarded him searchingly,
watchfully.

For the first time, Winthrop had the chance to observe her. He saw that
she was very young, that her clothes cruelly disguised her, that she was
only a child masquerading as a brigand, that her face was distractingly
lovely. Having noted this, the fact that she had driven several grown
men to abuse and vituperation struck him as being extremely humorous;
nor did he try to conceal his amusement. But the watchfulness in the
eyes of the girl did not relax.

"I'm afraid I interfered with your seance," said the District Attorney.

The girl regarded him warily, like a fencer fixing her eyes on those
of her opponent. There was a pause which lasted so long that had the
silence continued it would have been rude. "Well," the girl returned at
last, timidly, "that's what the city expects you to do, is it not?"

Winthrop laughed. "How did you know who I was?" he asked, and then added
quickly, "Of course, you're a mind reader."

For the first time the girl smiled. Winthrop found it a charming smile,
wistful and confiding.

"I don't have to ask the spirit world," she said, "to tell me who is
District Attorney of New York."

"Yes," said the District Attorney; "yes, I suppose you have to be pretty
well acquainted with some of the laws--those about mediums?"

"If you knew as much about other laws," began Vera, "as I do about the
law--" She broke off and again smiled upon him.

"Then you probably know," said Winthrop, "that what our excited friend
s