Part 45 (1/2)
”Not at all. You see, I know of the faking you have done,--and are doing,--in the Crane matter.”
”Oh,--ah----” Madame cautiously awaited further speech from her attractive but unusual caller.
”Yes,--and,” here Peter made a bold stroke, ”I know who is giving you things to 'materialize,' and why, and I want to know how much you are being paid, in order that I may offer you more to follow my directions.”
”I do not acknowledge that you are right----” she began, but Peter interrupted:
”You needn't; your expression, your countenance tells me all I want of acknowledgment. Now, listen to reason. I only want one _seance_, conducted according to my orders, and I'll pay you what you demand. Your other patron needn't know anything about my hand in the matter.”
”I refuse your requests, sir. I resent your accusations, and unless you leave here at once, I shall call----”
”Oh, no, you won't call the police, or any one else. You would greatly object to an investigation of your place here, and you and I know why.
You'll do much better, madame, to listen to my proposition, and accept it. You see,-- I _know_!”
The mysterious tone Peter used seemed to carry conviction, and with a little shudder, Madame Parlato gave in.
”What do you want?” she asked, tremulously; ”what do you intend to do?”
”I intend to do a great many things,” Peter replied, gravely, ”but I want very little. Only that you shall conduct a _seance_, at the time I set and entirely in accordance with my orders.”
”And if I refuse?”
”Then I shall feel it my duty to expose you as a fraud and a charlatan.”
The woman winced at these words, but meeting Peter's steely gaze and realizing his power over her, she said:
”First, tell me who you are.”
”I am Louis Bartram,” he said, ”you know that already. For the rest, I am an investigator of psychic conditions and a student of the occult, along certain definite lines. You will find it to your best advantage, Madame, to be perfectly frank and truthful with me. Any other course you will find most disastrous.”
”Are you--are you of the----”
”Of the police? No, this is not an official investigation. And, moreover, it all depends on yourself whether the results of our work together are ever made public or not. Now, answer my questions. How did you come to give these _seances_ to the Cranes?”
”Mr. Crane came and asked me to.”
”Where had he heard of you?”
”I was recommended to him by some friends of his.”
”Did you ever know his son, Peter?”
”No; I never heard of him until Mr. Crane came here.”
”And then you immediately got into spiritual communication with the dead man?”
”Yes; that is my business.”
She spoke a little defiantly, and Peter smiled. ”I know. I accept that.
Now, I'm a friend of the Cranes, because of having read that book. A man who is so absolutely positive of his beliefs is too good and dear a man to be disturbed in his enjoyment of them.”