p,' said the Medium, 'you're too
excited to ask that question now. Put some other questions first. Then
when you are calmer put the important question.' (A clever stroke! He
did not know enough of me or of Marie to answer _anything_ definitely--a
few intermediate questions might furnish him with many a clue.) 'But, my
dear sir,' I cried, 'what _can_ I ask about? I have but one thought in
my mind; _that_ engulfs all others. If I don't ask that, I shall have to
ask Marie if she minds this pouring rain, or some twaddle about the
weather.' 'Well, well, you'd better ask it then, and get it off your
mind, and we'll see how far Marie can answer it.' (Here let me recall
that stanza in Sister Belle's communication wherein she says:

"My form was sold to doctors three
And you have all that's left of me," etc.)

I sat down at my table and wrote: 'Is it really true that Sister Belle's
body was sold to three doctors?' I folded it down, carried it to the
Medium's table, watched him gum it, and still remained standing at his
table, but he immediately and peremptorily waved me to my seat. Again
were his hands and my strip of paper, with its _freshly gummed_ fold,
completely hidden from sight, behind the row of books. Again the
Medium's arms moved. He turned to the window and hastily pulled down the
shade. This puzzled me. There was no sunshine to be excluded, it was
raining fast outside, the day was unusually dark, and he needed all the
light he could get. I turned and looked out of my window, and there in
the house just across the narrow street, at a window on a level with
ours, and commanding a full view of the Medium's table, sat a woman
sewing, with another, I think, standing by her. 'Bravo!' I thought, 'are
not the four Cardinal virtues, Temperance, Justice, _Prudence_ and
Fortitude?' and then resumed my watch inside. Dr. Mansfield finished
writing, and then held up the slip as though for a final revision before
handing it to me. A toothpick which he had in his mouth worked
energetically from side to side, and he gravely shook his head as in
perplexity. 'I don't like this,' he ejaculated at last, 'I don't want to
give it to you. There'll be trouble here. It's very serious. Better let
me tear it up.' 'Let me see it,' I cried, 'I promise you I'll be calm,'
and I took the strip from his fingers and read:

'Dear Brother--I fear such was the case--but--I could not say who--I
have consulted Dr. Hare--and the far famed Benja