Mrs. Wylie was grievously disappointed in Mrs. Lucien and went less frequently to see her, for she knew her friend had been led into giving public seances, and as a writing medium and psychometrist was being much talked of in the city and sought after by a certain set, many of whom Mrs. Wylie felt she would not care to acknowledge as acquaintances, although they belonged to a psychical society or club of which Mr. Wylie was a member. This club had made much of Mrs. Lucien and brought her before the public.
Hence, Mrs. Wylie, being left to her own resources, went more in society, was gayer, more extravagant and fashionable than ever, and little Robert was left more and more to the care of the remarkable Tibby.
Tibby grew and waxed beautiful, and became more and more a fact and factor in Mr. Wylie’s household. She was no longer only nurse to the child, but companion and friend to Mrs. Wylie. It was Tibby’s fingers that brushed away the headache brought on by social dissipation. It was Tibby’s sympathy and advice that soothed away the little vexations that sometimes distressed her mistress. Mrs. Wylie would as soon have thought of giving up little Robert as this Tibby who had grown into her heart and love. Even Mr. Wylie was not insensible to the charm of her presence. He began to treat her more as a daughter of the house and indulge her in any whim or fanciful taste she might entertain.
Truly, Tibby was in a fair way to become spoiled, according to his earlier theories; but Mr. Wylie seemed to have forgotten those early fears, and now helped in the spoiling.
And thus, when Mr. Wylie’s business required his removal to the Pacific slope, Tibby went with this family of her adoption, secure in her present and future needs.
And there, among strangers and strange scenes she was known as the adopted daughter of the wealthy Mr. Wylie. Teachers were procured for her, and a broader culture and further accomplishments were added to the native graces of our little country girl.
Tom and Bess became pleasant memories of that past which now seemed to Tibby so far away, and though she laughed and shed tears occasionally over their misspelled and somewhat illegible letters, she no longer pined for the companions of her childhood.
CHAPTER XIV
BEFORE THE PUBLIC
The large hall of the Lennox is filled with a curious and heterogeneous assemblage of men and women. The majority of those present are believers in spiritism, and ready and more than willing to credit all the phenomena witnessed to spirit agency. A few are there who came in the honest endeavor to learn the truth and to discover if there is something in the mystic realms beyond the sight which may be made clear to their comprehension. There are others, however, who came with malice aforethought, desiring to thwart and expose the trickery which they believe is practised by the medium.
Before all this multitude she whom we have called Mrs. Lucien appears to give an exhibition of psychometric reading and slate-writing.