Part 7 (2/2)
Eunice, too, greeted Mr. Hanlon cordially, and Hendricks held out a welcoming hand.
”Tell us how you did it,” he said, smiling into the intelligent face of the mysterious ”mind-reader.”
”You saw,” he returned, simply, with a slight gesture of out-turned palms, as if to disavow any secrets.
”Yes, I saw,” said Hendricks, ”but with me, seeing is not believing.”
”Don't listen, Hanlon,” Mr. Mortimer said, smiling a little resentfully. ”That sort of talk would go before the test, but not now.
What do you mean, Hendricks, by not believing? Do you suspect me of complicity?”
”I do not, Mortimer. I believe you have been taken in with the rest, by a very clever trick.” He looked sharply at Hanlon, who returned his gaze serenely. ”I believe this young man is unusually apt as a trickster, and I believe he hoodwinked the whole community. The fact that I cannot comprehend, or even guess how he did it, in no way disturbs my conviction that he did do it by trickery. I will change this opinion, however, if Mr. Hanlon will look me in the eye and a.s.sure me, on his honor, that he found the penknife by no other means or with no other influence to guide him than Mr. Mortimer's will-power.”
”I am not on trial,” he said. ”I am not called upon to prove or disprove anything. I promised to perform a feat and I have done so.
It was not nominated in the bond that I should defend my honor by a.s.severations.”
”Begging the question,” laughed Hendricks, but Mr. Mortimer said: ”Not at all. Hanlon is right. If he has any secret means of guidance, it is up to us to discover it. But I hold that he cannot have, or it would have been discovered by some of the eager observers. We had thousands looking on to-day. There must have been some one clever enough to suspect the deceit, if deceit there were.”
”Thank you, Mr. Mortimer,” Hanlon spoke quietly. ”I made no mystery of my performance; I had no confederate, no paraphernalia. All there was to see could be seen by all. You willed me; I followed your will.
That is all.”
The simple manner and pleasant demeanor of the young man greatly attracted Eunice, who smiled at him kindly.
”I came here very sceptical,” she admitted; ”and even now I can't feel entirely convinced--”
”Well, I can!” declared Aunt Abby. ”I am willing to own it, too. These people who really believe in your sincerity, Mr. Hanlon, and refuse to confess it, make me mad! I wish you'd give an exhibition in New York.”
”I'm sorry to disappoint you, madam, but this is my last performance.”
”Good gracious why?” Aunt Abby looked curiously at him.
”I have good reasons,” Hanlon smiled. ”You may learn them later, if you care to.”
”I do. How can I learn them?”
”Read the Newark Free Press next Monday.”
”Oh!” and Eunice had an inspiration--a premonition of the truth. ”May I speak to you alone a minute, Mr. Hanlon?”
She got out of the car and walked a few steps with the young man, who politely accompanied her.
They paused a short distance away, and held a brief but animated conversation. Eunice laughed gleefully, and it was plain to be seen her charming smiles played havoc with Hanlon's reserved demeanor. Soon he was willingly agreeing to something she was proposing and finally they shook hands on it.
They returned to the car; he a.s.sisted Eunice in, and then he told Mr.
Mortimer they had stayed as long as was permissible and were being eagerly called back to the committee in charge of the day's programme.
”That's so,” said Mortimer. ”I begged off for a few minutes. Good-by, all.” He raised his hat and hurried away after Hanlon.
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