heir 'messages.' Foolishness, of
course, but it seems to comfort them."

"It doesn't comfort me," and Carly sighed. "I don't believe in it, you
see." And she looked at him with a curious glance.

"No; I don't either. But the old people do, and if it helps them bear
their grief,--why----"

"Yes; I understand. How--how much did they tell you?"

"All, I suppose. They said some medium,--well, not a professional, but
some friend of theirs,--helped them to get messages 'through,' as they
call it."

"Didn't they tell you who the friend was?"

"No; but they weren't mysterious about it. They simply didn't say. I
believe Julie doesn't like to have them try it,--the Ouija, I mean."

"Oh, she feels as I do,--as anybody must,--if they like it let them have
it. She went to the lectures."

"Everybody did, it seems."

"Yes, the whole town went crazy on the subject. Is yet, but not quite to
the same extent."

"The war brought it all about, of course. After a short time, the fad
will die out."

"Yes, if it is a fad. But,--do you never think there may be a grain of
truth in it all?"

"I haven't seen the grain yet, but I'm open to conviction."

"Oh, well, I've no intention of trying to convince you. Tell me all
about your trip,--tell me all the queer experiences you had, and
everything you can think of. And tell me lots about Peter."

Blair did her bidding. He described their life in the Labrador, told of
their exploits and discomforts and also of the glorious outdoor days and
nights that were so enjoyed by them all.

"I'd love it!" Carly declared. "Oh, not all the tramping and portaging,
but the camp life."

"Better try it nearer home. The Adirondacks would give you enough
excitement. There's no use braving that cold up there, and those fierce
storms."

"If it hadn't stormed, Peter wouldn't have been lost, would he?"

"Probably not. You see, we've mulled it over and over. He must have
fallen and hurt himself in some way, or he would have followed us
somehow."

"He would have called out."

"That's the point. The wind was in our faces, it was a villainous blast,
and nothing any one said could be heard by one in front of him, unless
they were near each other. If Peter had shouted, the wind would have
carried his voice back and away from us. That is undoubtedly what
happened."

"Don't you think the guide was greatly to blame?"

"No; he had no reason to look back at us, as if we were sheep. We had
always followed