ther Krug or Monopole to help her through so dreary
a recital; whereupon the latter did as requested, and after the two had
washed down a ribald toast with wine, the angelic Miss Gray continued:

"Well, you see, we came directly from St. Petersburg to London, and got
up a big excitement there right off. The _Times_ denounced us, and we
replied savagely through the _Telegraph_ at a half-crown a line. We kept
this up until all London was engaged in the controversy, and our rooms
were constantly thronged."

"What luck!" sighed Mrs. Winslow, sipping her wine.

"By and by the 'nobbies' got discussing the matter at the clubs. We
challenged examination by committees everywhere, of course, and one day
a batch of M.P.s, clergymen, merchants, and all that, came down upon us.
I picked out one man named Perkins--a brewer from the Surrey side, and
one of the wealthiest men in all England, and a man of education and
standing, too--for game right off."

"Must be lots of fools over in London," remarked Mrs. Winslow, as if
she would like to help pluck them.

"Yes," answered Miss Gray, "and millions in this country. We're going to
take a run over to Washington this winter."

"I would if I had your talent," replied her companion.

"Well," resumed the medium, "I saw Perkins was an easy-going fellow, and
I wrote him, saying it was something unusual for me to do, but as the
'spirits'"--here Miss Gray winked very hard at Mrs. Winslow, who
snickered--"had revealed to me that he was an arrant unbeliever, but at
the same time a fair, honorable man, magnanimous enough to be just--I
wished him to make a private investigation."

"'Private investigation's' good!" said Mrs. Winslow, laughing heartily.

"Certainly good for me," continued the little medium in a self-satisfied
way. "He came, though, and I gave him my tricks in my best possible
style. I pretty nearly scared him to death. Then I let him tie me, and
the old man's hands trembled as he put the ropes around my waist and
over my bosom. 'Miss Gray,' said he tenderly, 'I shall injure you!' 'Mr.
Perkins,' I replied, also tenderly, 'the good spirits will protect me.
Pull the ropes tighter!'

"He pulled the ropes tighter and tighter, and finally got me tied. Then
he darkened the room and in a few minutes I was entirely free of the
ropes of course, and I told him to raise the curtain. As soon as he did
so I left, telling him I was ill; and as soon as I could change my
dress, came back and