d never been nearer to being stumped than
at that moment.

"You--bought--" He puffed the words as a locomotive puffs smoke when
leaving a station.

"Yes," said Galusha, calmly, "I bought both his and hers."

"You did!... You did!... Well, by cripes! But--but why?"

"Because, I--ah--For reasons of my own, Mr. Pulcifer. Please pardon me
if I do not go into that. I do not wish to appear rude, but the reasons
are quite personal, really."

"Personal!... Well, I'll be dummed if this ain't the nerviest piece of
brass cheek ever I--Say, look here, Bangs! Why didn't you tell me you'd
bought them shares? What did you--Why, you must have had 'em all the
time I was offerin' you commissions for buyin' 'em. Hey? DID you have
'em then?"

"Why--ah--yes, I did."

"And you never said nothin', but just let me talk! And--and how about
this seance thing? You was the one put me up to making Marietta pretend
to get messages from Jeth's wife tellin' him to sell his stock to me.
YOU done it. I'd never thought of it if you hadn't put the notion in my
head. And--and all the time--Oh, by CRIPES!"

Again his agitation brought on a fit of incoherence. And he was not the
only astonished person about that table. Galusha, however, was quite
calm. He continued to fold and unfold his napkin.

"It may be," he said, slowly, "that I owe you an apology, Mr. Pulcifer.
I did deceive you, or, at least, I did not undeceive you." He paused,
sighed, and then added, with a twisted smile, "I seem to have been
a--ah--universal deceiver, as one might say. However, that is not
material just now. I had what seemed to me good reasons for wishing
Captain Hallett to learn that Miss Hoag was not a genuine--ah--psychic.
It occurred to me that a mention of his late wife's wish to have him
sell something he did not possess might accomplish that result. I misled
you, of course, and I apologize, Mr. Pulcifer. I am sorry, but it seemed
necessary to do so. Yes, quite."

He ceased speaking. Martha drew a long breath. Mr. Cabot looked very
much puzzled. Raish slowly shook his head. "Well!" he began; tried
again, but only succeeded in repeating the word. Then he blurted out his
next question.

"Who'd you buy them shares for?"

"Eh? For?"

"Yes, for. Who did you buy Cap'n Jeth's and Martha's stock for? Who got
you to buy it? 'Twasn't the Trust Company crowd, was it?"

"The Trust Company? I beg pardon? Oh, I see--I see. Dear me, no. I
bought the stock myself, quite o