Part 21 (1/2)
”What do you mean by that?”
”Heard you were working on a big scheme on which you had joined forces.”
”Nothing of the sort,” declared Blair, shortly, and Thorpe added, ”And if we were, we wouldn't say so.”
Then the more peaceable minded of the group introduced other subjects, and art and spiritism were left out of it.
On the way home, as several were walking together, Shelby turned off at his home street and refused all invitations to go on with the others.
”Can't do it,” he said. ”I've got a piece of work to finish, and I've got to go home. See you all to-morrow night. By-by.”
”I'm going along with you,” Knight said to Blair. ”I want to see your sketches, you said I might.”
”All right,” Gilbert returned, and, Thorpe with them, they went on to the studio.
Knight acted as a peacemaker, though not knowing it. He was a jolly, good-natured man, and he guyed the work of both his friends until they joined forces to contradict him.
Late they sat, smoking and talking over general matters. Also they discussed the Crane book, and agreed that, whether true or not, it was a great doc.u.ment and wonderfully popular.
”People are crazy over it, who always hooted at that sort of thing,”
Knight a.s.serted. ”It's partly the charm of Mr. Crane's manner, for the book is delightfully written, and somehow it does carry conviction.”
”Thought you didn't believe in it!”
”Me? Oh, I don't,” and Knight winked; ”I mean it carries conviction to those who like that sort of thing. No, I don't believe a word of it is truth.”
”Yet you have confidence in Mr. Crane's sincerity?”
”Oh, yes; he's merely fooled by a medium and----”
”Go on.”
”And somebody who's telling her things.”
”Who'd do that?”
”I don't know, but it's too palpable. Look at that tobacco pouch affair.
You know somebody must have given her that. Who did?”
”Hush up,” said Blair, determinedly. ”If you want to discuss that, do it somewhere else.”
”You're all on edge to-night, Blairsy. What's the matter?”
”Nothing, and I'm not.”
”Oh, yes, you are,” Knight went on. ”But, of course, it's nervousness about the compet.i.tion. What'll either of you boys do if the other gets the prize?”