It was not that her anxieties had been lulled so much as
counterbalanced; they were still there, at once poignant and heavy,
but on the other side there had been the assured air of the medium,
his reasonableness and his personality, as well as the enthusiasm of
her friend, and her astonished remonstrances. She had decided to
acquiesce, not because she was satisfied, but because on the whole
anxiety was outweighed by confidence. She could not have taken action
under such circumstances, but she could at least refrain from it.
Laurie, as Mr. Parker had noticed, had been "quiet-like"; he had said
very little indeed, but a nervous strain was evident in the brightness
of his eyes; but in answer to a conventional inquiry he had declared
himself extremely well. Mr. Vincent had looked at him for just an
instant longer than usual as he shook hands, but he said nothing. Mrs.
Stapleton had made an ecstatic remark or two on the envy with which
she regarded the boy's sensitive faculties.
At the beginning of the _seance_ the medium had repeated his warnings as
to Laurie's avoiding of trance, and had added one or two other
precautions. Then he had gone into the cabinet; the fire had been
pressed down under ashes, and a single candle lighted and placed
behind the angle of the little adjoining room in such a position that
its shaded light fell upon the cabinet only and the figure of the
medium within.
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