Athalie

"Haven't you ever tried?"

"Never.... Except when a little while ago I went over to the crystal

and--and tried to find--somebody."

"Did you find--that person?"

"No."

Mrs. Bellmore shook her fat head: "You needn't tell me any more. You

can't ever do yourself any good by crystal gazing--you poor child."

Athalie's head dropped.

"No, it's no use," said the other. "If you go into the business and

play square you can sometimes help others. But I guess the crystal is

mostly fake. Mrs. Del Garmo had one like yours. She admitted to me

that she never saw anything in it until she hypnotised herself. And

she could do that by looking steadily at a brass knob on a bed-post;

and see as much in it as in her crystal."

The fat woman lighted another cigarette and blew a contemplative whiff

toward the crystal: "No: at best the game is a crooked one, even for

the few who have really any occult power."

"Why?" asked the girl, surprised.

"Because they are usually clever, nimble-witted, full of intuition.

Deduction is an instinct with them. And it is very easy to elaborate

from a basis of truth;--it's more than a temptation to intelligence to

complete a story desired and already paid for by a client. Because

almost invariably the client is as stupid as the medium is

intelligent. And, take it from me, it's impossible not to use your

intelligence when a partly finished business deal requires it."

Athalie was silent.

"I'd do it," laughed Mrs. Bellmore.

Athalie said nothing.

"Say, on the level," said the older woman, "do you see a lot that we

others can't see, Miss Greensleeve?"

"I have seen--some things."

"Plenty, too, I'll bet! Oh, it's in your pretty face, in your

eyes!--it's in you, all about you. I'm not much in that line but I can

feel it in the air. Why I felt it as soon as I came into your room, but

I was that stupid--thinking of Mrs. Del Garmo--and never associating it

with you!... Do you do any trance work?"

"No.... I have never cultivated--anything of that sort."

"I know. The really gifted don't cultivate the power as a rule. Only one

now and then, and here and there. The others are pure frauds--almost

every one of them. But--" she looked searchingly at the girl,--"you're

no fraud! Why you're full of it!--full--saturated--alive with--with

vitality--psychical and physical!--You're a glorious thing--half

spiritual, half human--a superb combination of vitality, sacred and

profane!"--She checked herself and turned on the girl almost savagely:

"Who was the fool of a man you were looking for in the crystal?... Very

well; don't tell then. I didn't suppose you would. Only--God help him

for the fool he is--and forgive him for what he has done to you!... And

may I never enter this room again and find you with the tears freshly

scrubbed out of the most honest eyes God ever gave a woman!... Good

night, Miss Greensleeve!"