This feeling, however, gradually wore away in some measure as she became more accustomed to his presence, and as her sister, and later her mother, became interested in his theories, she began to tolerate with more patience his teaching of spiritism.
He held frequent seances in the neighborhood, and many of the families about her had become more or less interested in the doctrines, few of them openly opposing them and their teacher, except her handsome brother-in-law, Mark Cramer. He was outspoken in his condemnation of both the man and his ism.
One mild November afternoon, when the sisters and mother were together at Lissa’s home, the name of a sister who had died in infancy was mentioned.
“If,� said Alice, “there is any truth in Professor Russell’s communications, I would like to have him bring me word from Elsie. No one here, not even Mark, knows of her having existed, as we so rarely mention her.�
Lissa assented, and observed that it was the anniversary of her death, the thirteenth of November.
Before they had finished their conversation upon the topic they were startled by a rap at the outer door and Lissa opened it to see the ubiquitous Professor himself, who, after shaking hands with the sisters and Mrs. Clyne, seated himself, and without asking for either Nathan or Mark, observed suavely:
“As both of your husbands are to be at home to-day, I called to see if we might not invite in some of the neighbors and hold a seance this evening.�
“But Nathan is absent,� said Lissa, “and will not be home until Saturday.�
“And Mark is out upon the plains, forty miles from here,� added Alice.
The Professor smiled indulgently.