eeches, I think you said," he remarked.

"Oh! well, you know what I mean; just like friends, you know. Treat
us all like that."

Mrs. Stapleton rose, came nearer the circle, rustled down again, and
sank into an elaborate silence.

"Well, what is it these gentlemen wish to hear?"

"Everything--everything," cried Lady Laura. "They claim to know
nothing at all."

Laurie thought it time to explain himself a little. He felt he would
not like to take this man at an unfair advantage.

"I should just like to say this," he said. "I have told Mrs. Stapleton
already. It is this. I must confess that so far as I am concerned I am
not a believer. But neither am I a skeptic. I am just a real agnostic
in this matter. I have read several books; and I have been impressed.
But there's a great deal in them that seems to me nonsense; perhaps I
had better say which I don't understand. This materializing business,
for instance.... I can understand that the minds of the dead can
affect ours; but I don't see how they can affect matter--in
table-rapping, for instance, and still more in appearing, and our
being able to touch and see them.... I think that's my position," he
ended rather lamely.

The fact was that he was a little disconcerted by the other's eyes.
They were, as I have said, kind and shrewd eyes, but they had a good
deal of power as well. Mr. Vincent sat motionless during this little
speech, just looking at him, not at all offensively, yet with the
effect of making the young man feel rather like a defiant and naughty
little boy who is trying to explain.

Laurie sat back and drew on his cigarette rather hard.

"I understand perfectly," said the steady voice. "You are in a very
reasonable position. I wish all were as open-minded. May I say a word
or two?"

"Please."

"Well, it is materialization that puzzles you, is it?"

"Exactly," said Laurie. "Our theologians tell us--by the way, I am a
Catholic." (The other bowed a little.) "Our theologians, I believe,
tell us that such a thing cannot be, except under peculiar
circumstances, as in the lives of the saints, and so on."

"Are you bound to believe all that your theologians say?" asked the
other quietly.

"Well, it would be very rash indeed--" began Laurie.

"Exactly, I see. But what if you approach it from the other side, and
try to find out instead whether these things actually do happen. I do
not wish to be rude, Mr. Baxter; but you remember that your
theologians