“But, think of the shock to her. My friend, is it best?�
“Best? Perdition take me! I don’t know what is best. Leave me! Go back into the hall and tell your friends I am sick—vertigo—jimjams—anything. But leave me to think.�
“But,� began Nathan, loth to leave him by himself in his excited condition.
“Go in! I can’t be spoken to now. Go back into the hall. Will you?� he exclaimed vehemently.
Nathan turned away slowly and reentered the building, beset with many misgivings. What might not this irascible and tortured man do if left alone?
Mrs. Lucien had begun her reading. She held in her hand a knife which had been submitted to her for test.
“I am sure the person to whom this knife belongs is one of very orderly habits, or was. The present owner has not had it very long. I can see the woman to whom it formerly belonged. She has auburn hair, and is rather below the medium height. She is laughing, and says she won the knife on a philopena.�
“Is this true?� asked the chairman, taking the knife from Mrs. Lucien and holding it up.
“It is true,� responded a man from the audience. “I am acquainted with the knife’s history.�
Suddenly an idea presented itself to Nathan, upon which he immediately acted.