The Room with the Tassels

My

tragedy, the natural characteristics of all those present showed themselve

, as she darted upstairs for her room, and retur

ore the face of the stricken child, while others strove to bring back to con

beads of sweat from his forehead, "they are

stony white. She was using all her will power to keep from utter collapse,

er; "here, take this salts-bottle.

ffect of rousing Norma, and

I do?" she

everything to do! Some o

ned. "You do that, P

ick fell limply into a c

Carnforth. Do you know the village doctor's name? Of course,-it's too late

any name,-call T

ll and Thorpe c

ter came, and proved the more useful of the two. Her stoli

rieved intonation that robbed her word

d killed two strong, well, able-bodied people at the same momen

face in his hands, "I believe now in the super

sibility of anything else. What could kill them, like this, at

d Tracy's practical, matter-of-fac

murder. It isn't death from natural causes,-at least, it can't be in V

Eve. "We can judge nothing until w

y said; "the doctor will be nearly

ll him all?

in that way. I told him to get here as soon as he po

murmured Norma. "Oh, Eve,

lected, strength and will power written in every line of her f

a warning of death,-and Vernie is dead. Mr. Bruce received no definite warning, that I know of, bu

Mr. Bruce's statements, because he scorned all talk of spirit manifesta

all the time. I can always tell when any one is sp

"What shall I do with Milly?" he groaned. "She and Braye

ced in some other roo

r," he said; "this is a different matter. Whatever caused these deaths, it wasn't by the hand of another human being. If it was f

y, and with the help of Thorpe and Hester, the stricken forms we

ll continually, and if we don't move them at o

drawing room, on a large sofa, and Vernie's slender figure

pe and Hester carried the dead girl in. Then both doors were closed, shutting

d Eve. "Clear away that broken cup, Hester, and

where the spilled tea had fallen, and

illy came i

think? We found some fresh lobsters, still alive and kicking,-and we commande

take off your wraps," and Lando

throw them off down her

n, dear. Co

ent with him, and they di

ened. The others had begged the Professor to do

e hall. "I wish I had been here! Oh, forgive me, all of

and such things, but you don't understand,

g, naturally and normally. He paused when the clock stru

ma. "That clock strikes so lou

ght at him, his face changed in an instant, his fingers spread, as if galvanized, his tea

Braye spoke wi

wn and gray,-so I sprang to her side, and held her up, lest she fall. She was standing, looking at Mr. Bruce, of course. I felt her sway, her head fell back, and then Miss Carnforth came to my assistance, and we laid her quickly

it have been? I won't subscribe to any s

surd!" contradicted Eve. "Remember

ged!" cried Bra

ly, "the phantom told Vernie s

said! If I had thought of four in the

mes, and she only said four. You know, the phantom spoke no word, it merely designated b

weren't

udolph, remember the Ouija board said two would d

om. I was a fool to believe her. You see, Eve, I feel a sort of responsibility for the child. Uncle Gif was so easy-going and indulgent,-he was no sort o

lph; you were ve

e needed, and I meant to see that she got

g before, and he was overwhelmed. With trembling step he entered the room of death, and first made examination of the body of Gifford Bruce. It did not take

d the frightened practitioner, "but from this super

e hall, to the Roo

d Tracy stood in the doorway, but Norma remained

ld say fright might have killed her, but it doesn't seem credible. I know of no cau

ook back, I should judge there was at least a half a minute between

ickly toward her; I followed immediately, and I'm sure there was

such occasions," said the Do

re you it was not longer than a half minute in either case, between the state of usual

replied Doctor W

s were caused by supernatural means, they were

at stuff to the Doctor. Keep that for our own circle. You

t, t

warnings. Auto-suggestion, if you like, and so indirectly the resu

and Eve left the room

ation resulted in disagreement, and, at last, in

don's news. But she was trying to be brave, and e

more trouble for you all,-but I won't. I've promised Wynne I'll be brave and if

r, "you let yourself go all you want to. Don'

t let Eve come near m

t to Eve. She behaved sple

't been for Eve we never wou

ll agreed to come here. It wasn't

ma, tell me truly. What do you th

n the return to earth of the souls of people who have died, but-I can't believe that

rth of good spirits, why not bad spirits, as well? And

ical, Milly, b

rits and in their power to do good. Why not, t

by. "She's been going on like that, Norma, ev

ain w

e ghost of that woman who killed her husband here so long ago, sho

red with a peculiar light. "I'd rather think they wer

mean, Milly

e been, if not spirits. They had n

by sudden fright or by continuous apprehension of imaginary danger. Vernie had been warned twice. True, I didn't think of four in the afternoon, but

of hysterics," admitted Milly, "but not to the extent

y, "but as to how they died, let's not speculate, dear. I suppose we

t know,-I'm sur

on't you?" asked Eve. "You two are

away," moaned Milly. "

I can't leave, of course, but I daren't keep her here, lest she g

she's no good,-perhaps Mr. Tracy will take Milly

ey found the others in the hall, the Doctor still there, and the tea

"it isn't apparently a murder, and yet it's a mysterious deat

mportance. Such a case had never come near him before, and the whole affair gave him a

ll who listened, but the Doctor's word was la

o many things to see to, so many people to notify, the reporters to look af

I wish you'd take Milly. Take her to her mother's and

ith people all about,-if Norma will stay here, too, I'd

you go ahead, Rudolph, you'll have to hustle to get over to the

who had been telephoning, announced that the coroner could not come un

Eve, "for we've had enoug

horpe, who sat in the great hall, with the two doors open into the rooms where the still, tragic figures lay. Before him