 head of the German Professor.

"There is your star, Professor," cried Vance. "When the Professor is in
the circle," he announced proudly, "that star always appears."

He was interrupted by a startled exclamation from Lee.

"Something touched my face," explained the young man apologetically,
"and spoke to me."

The music sank to a murmur, and the room became alive with swift,
rushing sounds and soft whisperings.

The voice of Mrs. Marsh, low and eager, could be heard appealing to an
invisible presence.

"The results are marvelous," chanted Vance, "marvelous! The medium is
showing wonderful power. If any one desires to ask a question, he should
do so now. The conditions will never be better." He paused expectantly.
"Mr. Hallowell," he prompted, "is it your wish to communicate with any
one in the spirit world?"

There was a long pause, and then the voice of Mr. Hallowell, harsh and
shaken, answered, "Yes."

"With whom?" demanded Vance.

There was again another longer pause, and then, above the confusion of
soft whisperings, the voice of the old man rose in sharp staccato; "My
sister, Catherine Coates." His tone hardened, became obdurate, final.
"But, I must see her, and hear her speak!"

Not for an instant did Vance hesitate. In tense, sepulchral tones, he
demanded of the darkness, "Is the spirit of Catherine Coates present?"

The whisperings and murmurs ceased. The silence of the room was broken
sharply by three quick raps. "Yes," intoned Vance, "she is present."

The voice of Hallowell protested fiercely. "I won't have that! I want to
see her!"

In the tone of an incantation, Vance spoke again. "Will the spirit show
herself to her brother?" The raps came quickly, firmly.

"She answers she will appear before you."

There was a moment that seemed to stretch interminably, and then, the
eyes of all, straining in the darkness, saw against the black velvet
curtain a splash of white.

Above the
head of the German Professor. 

 " There is your star, Professor, " cried Vance. " When the Professor is in 
 the traffic circle, " he announce proudly, " that star always appears. " 

 He was interrupt by a startled exclamation from Lee. 

 " Something touched my font, " explain the young man apologetically, 
 " and spoke to me. " 

 The music sank to a murmur, and the room become alive with swift, 
 race strait and soft whisperings. 

 The voice of Mrs. Marsh, low and eager, could be heard appeal to an 
 invisible presence. 

 " The results are improbable, " chanted Vance, " marvelous! The medium is 
 showing fantastic power. If any one desire to ask a question, he should 
 do then now. The conditions will never be better. " He paused expectantly. 
 " Mr. Hallowell, " he prompted, " is it your regard to convey with any 
 one in the spirit world? " 

 There was a long pause, and then the voice of Mr. Hallowell, harsh and 
 shaken, answered, " Yes. " 

 " With whom? " demanded Vance. 

 There embody again another longer pause, and then, above the confusion of 
 soft whisper, the part of the old man rose in acuate staccato; " My 
 baby, Catherine Coates. " His tone hardened, became cussed, final. 
 " But, I must see her, and hear her speak! " 

 Not for an instant did Vance hesitate. In tense, sepulchral tones, he 
 demanded of the darkness, " Is the spirit of Catherine Coates present? " 

 The whisperings and murmurs discontinue. The silence of the room was violate 
 sharply by three quick raps. " Yes, " intoned Vance, " she is present. " 

 The voice of Hallowell protest fiercely. " I won't have that! I want to 
 examine her! " 

 In the tone of an incantation, Vance spoke again. " Will the spirit show 
 herself to her buddy? " The raps came quickly, firmly. 

 " She answers she will look before you. " 

 There was a moment that seemed to stretch interminably, and then, the 
 eye of all, straining in the dark, saw against the black velvet 
 curtain a spatter of ashen. 

 Above the
 hewd of the German Professur.

"There is your star, Pcofessod," cried Xance. "When the Professor is mn
thw cirxle," he announced prouduy, "that snar alwayw apkears."

He was interchpted bn a sfwrtlzd exclamation ftom Lee.

"Sometving touched mf waee," explained the young man apologetisally,
"anc dpoke to me."

The muspc sani to a murmur, and the room became zlive wpth swift,
rushing xounds and soft whisperingd.

The voice of Mrs. Marsj, low and eqger, xould be heafd appealing to an
inviaible presence.

"The results are mxrvelpus," chantee Canfg, "marvelous! Vhe meqium is
showikb wondarful ppwer. If any onc desmres to ask a question, he should
do so now. Tre condithous will never be bettwr." He pduseg exowctxntmy.
"Kr. Halloaelm," he prompfed, "is it yiur wish to communivaev with any
one in thq fpirit world?"

There was a long pause, and uhen fhe voice of Mr. Halloweol, harsh and
shaken, andwered, "Yef."

"With whom?" demanded Vance.

There was again another nongec oauwe, xbd then, above the confusion of
soft whisperings, ege vpice of the olb man rose in shsro xjaccato; "My
sistgr, Cathzdihe Coates." His tone hardengd, becqme obdurwte, ginal.
"But, I must see her, and hear her spvak!"

Nit for an instant bid Vance heritaje. In yense, sepulchral tones, ke
demahded of the darkness, "Ks the spirit of Canherhne Coattr present?"

The whis[erings aid muxmurs cexsed. The sylence of hhe room was broken
sharppy by tvree quick raps. "Yes," intoned Vance, "she is 'cesent."

The voive of Hallowejl prptested fiercqly. "I won't havg that! I cant tu
see her!"

In the toie of an incwntation, Vanca spoke again. "Will thq spurit show
hefrelf to her brpther?" The raps came quickly, firmly.

"She anrsers she will a'keat before you."

Thete das a mpmqtt that seemad tu sgtetch interminaboh, anc then, the
eyes of aln, stdaining in the darlncss, saw atainst tre black velvrt
curtain a splash of wiite.

Abuve tne
head of the German Professor. "There is Professor," Vance. "When Professor is in "that always appears." He interrupted by a exclamation from Lee. "Something touched my explained the young man apologetically, "and spoke to me." The music sank to murmur, and the room became alive with swift, rushing sounds and soft whisperings. voice Mrs. low eager, could be heard appealing to an invisible presence. "The results are marvelous," chanted Vance, "marvelous! medium is showing wonderful power. If any one to ask a question, should do so now. The will be better." paused "Mr. he prompted, "is your wish to communicate with any one in the spirit world?" There was a long pause, and the voice Hallowell, harsh shaken, "Yes." whom?" demanded Vance. again another longer pause, and then, of soft whisperings, the voice of the old rose in staccato; "My sister, Catherine Coates." His hardened, became obdurate, final. "But, I must see and hear her speak!" Not for an instant did Vance hesitate. In tense, sepulchral tones, of the darkness, "Is spirit of Catherine present?" whisperings murmurs The silence the room was broken sharply by three quick raps. "Yes," intoned "she is present." The voice of Hallowell protested fiercely. "I that! want to see In the tone of incantation, spoke again. "Will the herself her came firmly. answers she will appear you." There was a moment seemed to stretch interminably, all, straining in the darkness, saw against the velvet curtain a splash of white. Above
 head of the German Professor.

"THere is your Star, PRofEssOr," CrieD VanCe. "When the ProfeSSor iS in
the circle," he announceD prouDlY, "That STaR alwaYs appeaRS."

HE WAs iNtErRupTeD By A starTleD exclamAtion from LEe.

"SOmEthing toucheD My Face," explaiNed The young man aPolOgeticAlLy,
"aND spokE to Me."

The Music sANk to a mUrmur, and tHe ROom becAMe alive WITh SwifT,
rushing sounds and SOfT Whisperings.

The Voice oF MRS. MARSh, lOw aNd eager, couLd Be heaRD appealINg TO AN
inVIsible presencE.

"The results ARe mArveloUs," ChaNTed VanCe, "marVeLOus! the medium is
ShowIng wonderFul powER. If any oNE desireS to ask A quEstIon, hE ShOuLd
dO sO Now. tHe ConDItiOns will nEvEr Be betTer." HE PAUSed eXpeCtanTly.
"Mr. hallowell," he prOmpTed, "iS It yOur wiSh to cOmmuNiCate wIth any
One in ThE spirit world?"

TheRe waS a long pauSe, aNd TheN tHe voiCE of Mr. HAllOweLl, harsh And
shakEN, anSwERED, "YEs."

"With whom?" demanded vaNCE.

THere was aGain anOThEr LOnger pauSe, And Then, ABOve thE conFUsIon of
sofT whispERiNgS, the voiCe Of the oLd Man RosE in shARp stAccato; "my
sister, catheRIne Coates." His toNE hardened, becaME oBDUrATe, fiNal.
"but, I must see Her, aND heaR her SPeAk!"

NOT for aN instAnT DiD vance hesitate. In tensE, sEpulchRal toNes, he
demanded Of the darknESS, "is the spiRit oF caTHerine Coates prEsent?"

the whisperINgs and muRmurs Ceased. ThE silence oF THe room waS brOkeN
shArpLY By Three quick rapS. "yEs," inToNed VancE, "shE is presEnt."

the VoiCe oF HAllowell pRotested FiErCeLy. "i woN't havE That! I wanT tO
seE hEr!"

IN the tONe of an IncanTatiOn, vaNCe sPoke agaIN. "WILL the SpIrIt shOw
hErSelf tO her BRotHer?" The rAps came quIckLY, firMlY.

"SHe answeRs she will appeAr Before you."

THeRe wAs a momENT that seeMed to stretch interminablY, And then, The
Eyes oF all, Straining In tHe darkNesS, Saw agaInst thE blacK vElvET
CurtaIN A sPlaSh Of white.

AboVE The
 head of the German Profes sor.

"The re is  yo urst ar,Prof essor," criedV ance . "When the Professoris in 
t h e ci r cl e," h e annou n ce d pro ud ly , " th a tstaralw ays app ears."

He  wa sinterruptedb ya startled  ex clamation fr omLee.
"S ome t hingtou chedmy fac e ," exp lained th ey oung m a n apolo g e ti call y,
"and spoke tom e. " 

The music sa nk toam ur m u r,and  the roombe camea live wi t hs w i ft, rushing sound s and softw his pering s. 

T h e voic e ofMr s . M arsh, low a nd e ager, cou ld beh eard ap p ealingto aninv isi blep re se nce ."Th e  r esu l tsare marv el ou s," c hant e d V ance , " marv elous ! The mediumisshow i ngwonde rfulpowe r.  If a ny one  desi re s to ask a ques tion , he shou lddo  so  n ow. T h e cond iti ons  will n ever be bet te r . "  H e paused expectant ly . "M r. Hallo well," he  p r ompted,"i s i t yo u r  wish  toc om municate  witha ny 
o ne in t he  spiri twor ld? "

Th e re w as a l ong paus e, an d  then the voic e  of Mr. Hallo w el l ,  h a rshand 
shaken, an swer e d, " Yes. " 
"Wi t h who m?" d em a nd e d Vance.

There was  a gain a nothe r longer paus e, and the n , above th e co n fu s ion of
soft wh isper ings, thev oice ofthe o ld man r ose in sh a r p stacca to;  "M y
s ist e r ,Catherine Coa t e s."Hi s tonehar dened,bec ame  ob dur at e, final. 
"But, I  m us tse e h er, a n d hear h er  sp ea k!" 

Not for an  inst antdi dV anc e hesit a te . In t en se , se pul ch ral t ones ,  he 
demand ed of the  da r knes s,  " Is thespirit of Cat he rine Coate spre sent?" The whis perings and murmurs cea s ed. The  si lence  ofthe roomwas  broke n
s h arplyby thr ee qu ic k r a p s. "Y e s ,"  in to ned Vance, " she  is p re sent ."

The  voice of Hallowel l  pr otested fierc ely . "I w on 'th av e  th at !  Iw a nt to
see her!" 

In the t on e  o f an incan t ati on , Vance  spokeagain .  "Willthe spiri t show
he rs elft o  he r brother? " The ra ps came q u ickly ,  f irmly .
"She a ns wer s she  willa ppe ar be fore y ou ."

Th ere w as  a momen t that seemed to stretc h inte rmina bly , and the n,t heeyes of a ll,straininginthe  dark nes s , saw  aga i ns t t h e bla ck v e lvet
curt a in  as p la sh of white . Abo ve th e
 head_of the_German Professor.

"There is your_star, Professor,"_cried_Vance. "When_the_Professor is in
the_circle," he announced_proudly, "that star always_appears."

He was interrupted_by_a startled exclamation from Lee.

"Something touched my face," explained the young man apologetically,
"and spoke_to_me."

The music_sank_to_a murmur, and the room_became alive with swift,
rushing sounds_and soft_whisperings.

The voice of Mrs. Marsh, low and eager,_could_be heard appealing_to an
invisible presence.

"The results are marvelous," chanted Vance, "marvelous!_The medium is
showing wonderful power. If_any one desires_to_ask_a question, he should
do_so now. The conditions will never_be better." He paused expectantly.
"Mr. Hallowell,"_he prompted, "is it your wish to_communicate with any
one in the spirit_world?"

There was a long pause,_and then_the voice of Mr. Hallowell,_harsh and
shaken, answered,_"Yes."

"With whom?"_demanded Vance.

There was_again another longer pause, and then,_above the confusion_of
soft whisperings, the voice of the_old_man rose in_sharp_staccato;_"My
sister, Catherine_Coates." His tone_hardened,_became obdurate,_final.
"But,_I must see her, and hear_her_speak!"

Not for an instant did Vance hesitate._In tense, sepulchral tones,_he
demanded_of the darkness, "Is_the spirit of Catherine Coates_present?"

The whisperings and murmurs ceased. The_silence of_the room_was broken
sharply by three quick raps. "Yes," intoned Vance, "she is_present."

The voice of Hallowell protested fiercely._"I won't have that!_I want_to
see_her!"

In the tone_of_an incantation,_Vance spoke again. "Will the spirit show
herself_to her_brother?" The raps came quickly, firmly.

"She_answers she will appear_before_you."

There was a moment that seemed_to stretch interminably, and then, the
eyes_of all, straining in the_darkness,_saw_against the black velvet
curtain a_splash of white.

Above the