em.

DR. MACPHERSON. Probably most professional mediums cheat--perhaps every
one of them; but some of them are capable of real demonstrations at times.

PETER. Once a swindler, always a swindler. Besides, why can't my old
friends come straight back to me and say, "Peter Grimm, here I am!" When
they do--if they do--I shall be the first man to take off my hat to them
and hold out my hand in welcome.

DR. MACPHERSON. You ask me why? Why can't a telegram travel on a fence
instead of on a wire? Your friends could come back to you if you could put
yourself in a receptive condition; but if you cannot, you must depend upon
a medium--a sensitive.

PETER. A what? [_To_ CATHERINE.] Something new, eh? He has all the names
for them. Yesterday it was "apports"--flowers that fell down from nowhere
and hit you on the nose. He talks like a medium's parrot. He has only to
close his eyes and along comes the parade. Spooks! Spooky spooks! And now
he wants me to settle my worldly affairs and join in the procession.

CATHERINE. [_Puzzled_.] Settle your worldly affairs? What do you mean,
Uncle Peter?

PETER. [_Evasively_.] Just some more of his nonsense. Doctor, you've seen
a good many cross to the other world; tell me--did you ever see one of
them come back--one?

DR. MACPHERSON. No.

PETER. [_Sipping his coffee_.] Never have, eh? And never will. Take
another cup of poison, Andrew.

_The_ DOCTOR _gives his cup to_ CATHERINE, _who fills it_. PETER _passes
the waffles to the_ DOCTOR, _at the same time winking at_ CATHERINE _as
the_ DOCTOR _takes another_.

DR. MACPHERSON. There was not perhaps the intimate bond between doctor and
patients to bring them back. But in my own family, I have known of a case.

PETER. [_Apart to_ CATHERINE.] He's off again.

CATHERINE. [_Eager to listen_.] Please don't interrupt, Uncle. I love to
hear him tell of--

DR. MACPHERSON. I have known of a return such as you mention. A distant
cousin died in London and she was seen almost instantly in New York.

PETER. She must have travelled on a biplane, Andrew.

DR. MACPHERSON. If my voice can be heard from San Francisco over the
telephone, why cannot a soul with a God-given force behind it dart over
the entire universe? Is Thomas Edison greater than God?

CATHERINE. [_Shocked_.] Doctor!

DR. MACPHERSON. And they can't tuck it _all_ on telepathy. Telepathy
cannot explain the case of a spirit-message giving the contents of a
sealed letter known only t