eal one. I think Madame
Parlato is one. But I'm not sure. She does the Cranes a lot of good.
They believe----"

"Not Julie."

"Oh, no, Julie hates the whole business. I think she'd be convinced,
though, except for Mr. Thorpe. He's such a skeptic that he influences
Julie."

"I _thought_ Thorpe was rather interested in that direction."

"Well, rather! Why, they've been exclusively interested in each other
all winter."

"Thorpe's a close-mouthed chap. We live together, but we seldom exchange
confidences. I like him pretty well, but----"

"But what?"

"I oughtn't to say it, but I don't altogether trust him. We're working
for a prize, you know, the Callender medal, and sometimes I've imagined
that he----"

"I know, he steals your ideas."

"Well, I wouldn't put it so bluntly, but he is an unconscious
kleptomaniac, I think. He watches my drawing--I go astray sometimes to
mislead him--and next thing I know he incorporates the same motive in
his own sketches. I wouldn't say this to any one else, but I'm a little
worried about it. Not so much about his taking my stuff as the fear that
some one will think I've taken his."

"How's your work progressing?"

"Well--if Thorpe lets me alone."

"Can't you lock yourself in?"

"Oh, no; we use the same studio, and if I seemed fearful he would be
angry at once. He's a strange nature, Thorpe. Morbid and secretive, yet
a good friend and a first-rate living companion. You see, we've separate
bedrooms, of course, but we've only the one big room that's studio and
sitting-room combined. We have to use it together, but as our friends
are pretty much the same bunch, we get along all right. We have lockers
and all that, but I hate to lock up my sketches when I go out. It looks
as if I didn't trust him."

"Well, you don't."

"No; but I can't tell him so. Nor do I want to hint it--at least not
until I find some definite proof. Get out your Ouija Board, Carly, and
see if it will tell us anything."

"Oho, you believe in it fast enough when you want to use it?"

But a trial of the occult only brought Blair the advice to beware of a
friend who might be at heart an enemy. To be careful of his plans and
sketches, for there was some one near who might be guilty of deceit.

All of which Blair knew before.

* * * * *

The sessions which the Cranes held with Madame Parlato increased in
importance and interest.

She had succeeded in materializing the fa