The woman winced at these words, but meeting Peter's steely gaze and realizing his power over her, she said:
"First, tell me who you are."
"I am Louis Bartram," he said, "you know that already. For the rest, I am an investigator of psychic conditions and a student of the occult, along certain definite lines. You will find it to your best advantage, Madame, to be perfectly frank and truthful with me. Any other course you will find most disastrous."
"Are you—are you of the——"
"Of the police? No, this is not an official investigation. And, moreover, it all depends on yourself whether the results of our work together are ever made public or not. Now, answer my questions. How did you come to give these séances to the Cranes?"
"Mr. Crane came and asked me to."
"Where had he heard of you?"
"I was recommended to him by some friends of his."
"Did you ever know his son, Peter?"
"No; I never heard of him until Mr. Crane came here."