The Come Back. Wells Carolyn
a scoffer. And of course, I believe your statements."
"Of course!" exclaimed Mrs. Crane, a little crisply. "Surely we would not invent such a story!"
"No, indeed," said Shelby. "It is strange, you must admit. Have you had any further communications from Peter?"
"A few," Mr. Crane spoke a bit reluctantly, for he could see that the men were receptive from a motive of politeness, and not with sympathetic interest. "He has sent other messages, but they would not, I fear, convince you."
"Now, don't blame us, Mr. Crane," Blair broke out, impetuously; "remember, we're just from the place where we left Peter, – remember, we love him, too, – and remember, if we could be convinced that he had spoken we would be as interested as you are."
"Well put, my boy," and Crane seemed greatly mollified. "Now, merely as an admission of facts, do you believe that the Ouija Board gave the messages exactly as I have detailed the proceedings to you?"
"I do," said Blair, "that is, I believe you have told the exact truth of what you observed."
"Then, can you refuse to believe that the message came from the spirit of my dead boy? Who else knew of his death? How could any one know of it?"
"True enough," and Blair shook his head, noncommittally.
Crane sighed. "You don't believe," he said, but without annoyance. "Yet, remember, greater minds and wiser brains than yours believe. Are not you a little presumptuous to set your opinion against theirs?"
"I don't mean to be presumptuous, Mr. Crane," Blair spoke decidedly, "but I do think my opinion on this subject as good as any man's."
"Then you are condemning the matter, unheard, which you will allow is not strictly just."
"Come, come, Blair," said Shelby, distressed at his attitude, "don't discuss things of which you know nothing. Mr. Crane has gone deeply into the subject and must know more about it than we do." He gave Blair a positive glance of reproof, and tried to make him see that he must stop combating their host's theories, if only for reasons of common politeness.
"But I'm interested," persisted Blair. "If Peter came here and told his father he was dead, – I want to look into these things. You see, it's the first time I've ever been up against a real case of this sort. Own up, Shelby, it's all mighty queer."
Benjamin Crane looked kindly at Blair. "That's the talk, my boy. If you're really interested, come round some night, and with you here, Peter may talk through, all the better."
"Rubbish!" Shelby thought, silently, but aloud, he only said:
"Yes, Blair, do that. And drop the subject for the present. Is Julie at home, Mrs. Crane?"
"No; she's away for a few days. Poor child, she will be heartbroken. She adored Peter Boots," and Mrs. Crane again gave way to tears.
"What does Julie think about the messages?" asked Blair, thoughtfully.
"We didn't tell her," said Crane. "She's so emotional, and – well, of course, we couldn't help hoping that it mightn't be true. And, too, Julie hates all talk of spiritism."
"Sensible girl!" thought Shelby, as Mrs. Crane was saying:
"But Julie went to Sir Rowland's lectures and she was deeply interested."
"Lectures?" asked Blair.
"Yes; there have been a great many this season. I'm sorry you had to miss them. They're over now. But I can't see how any one could listen to that delightful man talk on such subjects in his beautiful way and not be convinced of the truth of it all."
"What did he say?" asked Shelby.
"That's too big a question to be answered in a sentence," and Crane smiled a little, "but he gave us incontrovertible proof that the spirits of the dead return and communicate with their friends who are still on earth."
"Through a Ouija Board?" Blair inquired.
"Yes; and by actual manifestation as well. I've never consulted a real medium, but now that I know Peter is gone, I shall do so."
"Don't!" Shelby said, quite involuntarily. Then, seeing the look in Crane's eyes, he added: "Forgive me, sir, I have no right to advise. But I've been told that all professional mediums are frauds."
"We are told many things, – both for and against," returned Crane, "but if Sir Rowland is willing to consult them, and believes in them, I'm ready to sail under his flag."
"Of course. And you've a perfect right to do so." Shelby felt he couldn't control his real opinions much longer, and wanted to go. "May I come to see you again, soon, – and talk over the matters of Peter's things, – which, of course, we brought home? And, I'd like to see Julie."
"She'll be home by to-morrow evening. Of course, we'll send for her. And I know she'll want to see you both. Perhaps not just at first, but after a few days. Please come to the house whenever you will, – just as you used to do."
"Yes, do," added Mrs. Crane, her lip quivering at the remembrance of the old days when the boys were jolly together.
"And Miss Harper, how is she?" asked Blair, who had been longing to put the question for some time.
"Well, as usual," replied Mrs. Crane. "She was here last night. She – "
"She's a dear girl," Crane interrupted his wife, and a peculiar look crossed his face. "You come round soon again, boys, but I fear we must let you go now. My wife is keeping up bravely, but – " he glanced at the little woman tenderly, and took her hand in his. "And I, too, don't feel like talking more now. So good-night, – and, thank you for all your good comradeship with my boy, – my Peter Boots."
"We want sympathy, too, Mr. Crane," said Blair; "Peter was very dear to us both. We're not given to spilling over, but we have lost a dear friend and chum whose place can never be filled by another."
"Right!" said Shelby, in a choked voice, and his handclasp with Peter's father said the rest.
But once on the street his exasperation broke forth in words. "I can stand any sort of idiots," he said, "except spook idiots! They make me want to go back to the Labrador!"
"Sort of queer, though, that message, – from Peter – "
"From Peter – nothing! Don't desecrate that boy's memory by even an implication that he'd fiddle with a Ouija Board! Ugh!"
"How do you explain it, then?"
"There's nothing to explain."
"You think Crane, – er – misstated?"
"Oh, I think he thought he had a message, – but he was duped. They all are. I know all about that Sir Rowland. I've read his books. He's dotty on the subject. Keep off the rocks, Blair. You've a leaning that way, and if you don't look out you'll fall for it, too."
"Wonder why Mr. Crane shut his wife up when she started to say something about Carly Harper."
"Oh, that was nothing particular. Anyway, you can see Carly for yourself. I expect she'll be hard hit by Peter's death. They were practically engaged."
"How'd you know?"
"Peter told me, – not in words, bless his heart! He just let it out when he was in a babbling mood. I mean, he let fall side remarks, and I just gathered the truth. I didn't tell him I knew. Open-hearted as he was, Peter was reserved in some ways."
"Dear old chap, so he was. Our great work will never materialize now. Unless I write it alone. I'd like to do that, – and publish it over both our names, and explain in a preface."
"Do," said Shelby; "it would please the old people a lot."
CHAPTER V
Madame Parlato
Blair's first interview with Carly Harper was painful for both. The Cranes had told her of Peter's death, but the sight of Blair seemed to bring home to the girl a further and more vivid realization of her loss.
"I wish now I'd been kinder to him," she said, her voice quivering.
"Oh, come now, Carly, I know you weren't unkind."
"No;