“You are possessed of the intolerance of our forefathers. You would not suffer a witch to live.�
“Well, it does seem as if such a person had a familiar spirit. We are commanded to abhor such, and in olden time they were put to death, it is true.�
“I do not class hypnotists with spirit-mediums,� Mark replied. “And I have an idea with regard to Tibby which may be useful. She should be able to exorcise other evil influences, as did the priests of old. I’d like to pit her against Russell.�
“Russell? O, yes, he’s the man to whom you ascribe Alice’s perversion of mind. Well, I wish she might be able to. I wish she might.�
CHAPTER XXIII
THE COUNTERPLOT
Mark sought a convenient opportunity to interview Tibby. He found the girl one morning pacing slowly up and down the pathway leading to the horses’ corral, her riding-whip in her hand and riding-skirt upon her arm. She was smiling softly to herself and flipping the tops of the tall balsam weeds with her whip as she passed them. She looked up, a startled, challenging look in her large eyes as he approached her.
“Well, Miss Tibby, what new mischief are you hatching to-day?� Mark asked as he joined her.
“None, I assure you. I was only thinking how I would like to see a prairie on fire.�
“I trust the wish has not been father to the act. You haven’t set a match to it?�
“O, no! I haven’t yet looked up a convenient hiding-place for myself. And then I don’t believe I’m quite so bad as Nero. My desire to see a burning Rome is not strong enough to make me set it on fire.�