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"No, no," he said "May I sit down a an hastily to cover her confusion

"It is aI am sorry--"

"Just so," he said "It is about that that I have co your pardon?"

"Please sit down, Lady Laura May I say in a sentence what I have come to say?"

This seemed a very odd oldyou not to allow Mr Baxter to enter the house No, I have no authority from anyone, least of all from Mr Baxter He has no idea that I have come He would think it an unwarrantable piece of impertinence"

"Mr CathcartI--I cannot--"

"Allow esture that silenced her "I have been asked to interfere by a couple of people very much interested in Mr Baxter; one of them, if not both, completely disbelieves in spiritualism"

"Then you know--"

He waved his hand towards the cabinet

"Of course I know," he said "Why, I was a spiritualist for ten years myself No, not a medium; not a professional, that is to say I know all about Mr Vincent; all about Mrs Stapleton and yourself, Lady Laura I still follow the news closely; I know perfectly well--"

"And you have given it up?"

"I have given it up for a long while," he said quietly "And I have co, for--for the saiven it up o into that," he said "It is enough, is it not, for me to say that Mr Baxter's work, and, in fact, his whole nervous syste considerably from the excitement; that one of the persons who have asked me to do what I can is Mr Baxter's o-coach: and that even if he had not asked me, Mr Baxter's own appearance--"

"You know him?"

"Practically, no I lunched at the same table with him on Friday; the symptoms are quite unmistakable"

"I don't understand Symptoms?"

"Well, ill say symptoms of nervous excitement You are aware, no doubt, that he is exceptionally sensitive Probably you have seen for yourself--"