re," hurriedly answered Morton, his
voice as casual as he could make it; "and I fear it is impossible."

"It is very important, Dr. Serviss, for Pratt has told me that you
know the Lamberts and all about their relationship to Clarke. If
you--"

"It is quite impossible," replied Morton, with decision, and hung up
the receiver. For a few moments he sat in deep thought, his mind
leaping from point to point of this new complication. As he analyzed
the far-reaching consequences of this tragic and terrible deed he
bitterly exclaimed: "You've reached us now, Anthony Clarke! You have
involved the woman you pretended to love and all her friends in a
screaming sensation. Your name will be writ larger to-morrow than at
any time during your whole life. You could not have hit upon a more
effective revenge."

The situation grew each moment more satanic. "My name will be involved
quite as prominently as hers. The mother, frantic with grief and
remorse, will hate me and bitterly reproach us all. She will accuse us
of causing his death. But, most important of all, what will be the
effect of this news on Viola's mental condition?" His thought ran to
her as he had just left her radiant with hope and new-found happiness,
and it seemed as though the dead man had reached a remorseless,
clutching hand to regain final dominion over her. His shadow hovered
in the air above her head ready to envelop her.

"If I can only keep this from her for a few days, till my own control
of her has strengthened. I _must_ keep it from her. She must not see
to-morrow's papers with their ghastly story." He chilled with a fuller
sense of the suicide's power to torture her. "She must leave the city
to-night. She will be called before the coroner, her mediumship and
Clarke's control of her will be howled through the street--" He
groaned with the shame and anguish of the scene his imagination bodied
forth. "Pratt's hand will also be felt. He will have his own tale, his
own method of evasion, and will not hesitate to dishonor her."

Furthermore, this threatening shame so far from arousing a new
distrust and a desire to escape further connection with her, swept him
into a profounder desire to serve and shield her. His heart filled
with pity and love, and into his eyes a stern light--the light of
battle--came. "She shall not be tortured so, if I can defend her or
lead the way to escape. Lambert must leave the city at once and take
them both with him."

He rose