hat ridiculous Marietta Hoag, who pretend to go into trances and get
messages just because they like to be the center of a sensation. They
like to have silly people say, 'Isn't it wonderful!' Marietta Hoag's
'control,' as she calls it, is a Chinese girl. She must speak spirit
Chinese, because no Chinese person on earth ever talked such gibberish.
Control! SHE ought to be controlled--by the keeper of an asylum."

The indignation expressed upon Lulie's pretty face was so intense that
Galusha suspected an especial reason.

"Is--ah--is this Marietta person the medium who--who--" he began.

"Who set father against Nelson? Yes, she is. I'd like to shake her,
mischief-making thing. Father liked Nelson well enough before that, but
he came home from that seance as bitter against him as if the poor boy
had committed murder. Marietta told him that a small dark man was trying
to take away his daughter, or some such silliness. Nelson isn't very
small nor VERY dark, but he was the only male in sight that came near
answering the description. As a matter of fact--"

She hesitated, colored, and looked as if she had said more than she
intended. Galusha, who had not noticed her embarrassment, asked her to
go on.

"Well," she said, in some confusion, "I was going to say that if it
hadn't been Nelson it would probably have been some one else. You see, I
am father's only child and so--and so--"

"And so he doesn't like the idea of giving you up to some one else."

"Yes, that's it. But it wouldn't be giving me up. It would be merely
sharing me, that's all. I never shall leave father and I've told him so
ever so many times.... Oh, dear! If you could have known him in the old
days, Mr. Bangs, before he--well, when he was himself, big and strong
and hearty. He used to laugh then; he hardly ever laughs now. He and
Cap'n Jim Phipps--Martha's father--were great friends. You would have
liked Cap'n Jim, Mr. Bangs."

"Yes, I am sure I should."

"So am I. Martha is very much like him. She's a dear, isn't she?"

Galusha nodded. "She has been very kind to me," he said. "Indeed, yes."

"Oh, she is to every one. She is always just like that. I am very glad
you have decided to board with her this winter, Mr. Bangs. I have an
idea that she has been--well, troubled about something; just what,
of course, I don't know, although I think--but there, I mustn't guess
because it is not my business."

Galusha expressed a wish that he might become better