en of conversation.

"My savin' soul!" she began. "My savin' soul! Did you ever in your born
days! When that Marietta Hoag--or that Chinee critter--or Cap'n
Jeth's ghost's wife--or whoever 'twas talkin' that spirit jabber--when
she--them, I mean--give out that a small, dark man was right there in
that house, I thought--"

"Primmie, go to bed."

"Yes'm. And when I remembered that Nelse Howard was--"

"Go to bed this minute!"

"Yes'm. But how do you 'spose he's goin' to--"

Miss Phipps conducted her to the foot of the back stairs and, returning,
closed each door she passed through behind her. Then she answered her
lodger's unspoken question.

"Lulie will go with her father and help him up to his room," she said.
"After he is out of the way Nelson can come out and Zach, I suppose,
will let him out by the side door."

Galusha smiled faintly. "The poor fellow must have been somewhat
disturbed when that--ah--medium person announced that the 'evil
influence' was in the house," he observed.

Martha sniffed. "I guess likely we were all disturbed," she said.
"Especially those of us who knew. But how did Marietta know? That's what
I can't understand. Or did she just guess?"

Before Bangs could answer there was a rap on the windowpane. Martha,
going to the door, admitted Nelson Howard himself. The young man's first
speech was a question.

"Do you know what became of my hat?" he asked. "Like an idiot I hung my
hat and coat in that entry off the dining room when I went in. When I
came out just now the hat was gone."

Martha looked troubled.

"It wasn't that cap you wear so much, at the station and everywhere?"
she asked. "I hope no one took THAT; they'd know whose 'twas in a
minute."

"Yes, that's what I'm afraid of. I... Eh? Why, there it is now."

The cap was lying on the couch beside Mr. Bangs' overcoat. Howard picked
it up with an air of great relief.

"You brought it over for me, Mr. Bangs, didn't you?" he cried.

"Why--why, yes, I--I did," stammered Galusha. "You see, I--"

The young man broke in enthusiastically. "By jingo, that was clever
of you!" he cried. "I was afraid some one had got that cap who would
recognize it. Say," he went on, "I owe you about everything to-night,
Mr. Bangs. When Marietta gave out her proclamation that the 'small
dark man' was in that house I came nearer to believing in her kind of
spiritualism than I ever thought I should. I was scared--not on my own
account, I hope--but fo