much? Do you
remember that?"

Martha said of course she remembered it.

"Yes. Well, those circulars and books came from the Psychical Research
Society--the people who look up real spirit things and expose the other
kind, the fraud kind, you know. Those told all about lots of cases of
cheats like Marietta, and father read them, and he confessed to me this
morning that they disturbed his faith in her a lot and he was suspicious
when the seance began. Don't you know he hinted something about it?"

"Yes, yes, Lulie, I remember. But what did Mr. Bangs have to do with
those circulars and things?"

"He sent them. Or he had them sent, I am sure. They came from Washington
and who else could have done it? Who else would have had them sent--from
there--to father--and just at the right time? You did have them sent,
didn't you, Mr. Bangs?"

Of course, the others now looked at Galusha and also, of course, this
had the effect of increasing his embarrassment.

"Why--why, yes," he admitted, "I suppose I am responsible. You see,
I--well--ah--I have friends at the Washington branch of the Society and
I dropped a line requesting that some--ah--literature be sent to Captain
Hallett. But it was nothing, really. Dear me, no. How is your father
this morning, Lulie?"

Lulie's face expressed her happiness. "Oh, he is ever and ever so much
better," she declared. "Last night I was so afraid that the shock and
the dreadful disappointment and all might have a very had effect upon
him, but it hasn't. He is weak this morning and tired, of course, but
his brain is perfectly clear and he talks as calmly as you or I. Yes,
a good deal more calmly than I am talking just now, for I am very much
excited."

She laughed a little. Then, with a blush which caused the Boston
connoisseur to re-endorse his own estimate of her looks, added: "I just
must tell you this, Martha, you and Mr. Bangs, for I know you will be
almost as much delighted as I am--of course, I put in the 'almost.'
This morning, a little while ago, I ventured to mention Nelson's name
to father and to hint that perhaps now that he knew Marietta's 'medium'
nonsense to be all a fraud, he would believe as I did that the things
she said about Nelson were frauds, too. I said it in fear and trembling,
and for some time he didn't answer. Then he called me to him and said he
guessed I was probably right. 'You seem to have been right most of the
time, Lulie,' he said, 'and I've been clear off the