"Mr. Baxter! Come in, come in; I'm delighted to see you."
Laurie came in without a word, went straight up to the fire-place, and
faced about.
"I'm not going to apologize," he said, "for coming at this time. You
told me to come and see you at any time, and I've taken you at your
word."
The young man had an odd embarrassed manner, thought the other; an air
of having come in spite of uneasiness; he was almost shamefaced.
The medium impelled him gently into a chair.
"First a cigarette," he said; "next a little whisky, and then I shall
be delighted to listen.... No; please do as I say."
Laurie permitted himself to be managed; there was a strong, almost
paternal air in the other's manner that was difficult to resist. He
lit his cigarette, he sipped his whisky; but his movements were
nervously quick.
"Well, then...." and he interrupted himself. "What are those things,
Mr. Vincent?" He nodded towards the second shelf in the bookcase.
Mr. Vincent turned on the hearthrug.
"Those? Oh! those are a few rather elementary instruments for my
work."
He lifted down a crystal ball on a small black polished wooden stand
and handed it over.
"You have heard of crystal-gazing? Well, that is the article.
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