The Ghost Makers

"I guess they do," observed Dick. "The question is, do they tell what they know?"

"One was telling me that night," said the aunt. "A spirit named Little Flower was giving me a message from the higher plane. A spirit there was telling me that money could be made by investing in a stock called Coronado Copper—"

"That's a racket," growled Dick, unable to repress his disdain. "What's the idea of this Little Flower stuff?"

"Little Flower is the medium's control," declared Maude Garwood solemnly. "When Anita Marie enters a trance, Little Flower can take her place. She talks with the spirits, and tells what they say."

"It wouldn't suit me," objected Dick. "I'd like to see the person I'm talking to — whether it's a human being or a spook. Listen, Aunt Maude. You must use good judgment now. Promise me that you won't do anything foolish—"

Terry ended his sentence as Anita Marie entered the room, and gazed shrewdly at her visitors. Dick, rising, faced the medium.

He instinctively disliked her, and Anita Marie observed that fact. She threw a defiant, withering glance toward the young man.

Looking at his aunt's face, Dick observed an expression of total rapture. Maude Garwood seemed cheered by the very presence of Anita Marie.

The medium sat before her, and took the widow's hands. She addressed all her remarks to the believer, and Dick, watching from the side of the room, felt an increased opposition.

"All is well, dear student," declared Anita Marie, in her raspy voice. "The spirits have encouraging words for you. They're agoin' to help you, poor dear."

Dick experienced an immediate resentment. The sight of his aunt, intelligent and refined, listening to this encouragement from an ignorant, untutored woman, was more than he could stand.

"Just how are the spirits going to assist my aunt?" he demanded. Until now, Anita Marie had ignored Dick as though he had been a child. When he spoke, she glowered in his direction. Her words became defiant.

"Young man!" she reprimanded. "Young man, beware! If you're agoin' to hamper this poor, grief-stricken woman, you're amakin' a great mistake. You can't argue with me, young man."

"You are doing the arguing, right now," objected Dick.

Anita was furious. Her eyes were wild with rage. Only the presence of Maude Garwood restrained her from uttering oaths and imprecations.

"Dick!" exclaimed the widow. "You mustn't be unfair to Anita Marie. She is trying to help me."

"The young man is a skeptic," declared Anita Marie, in a cold, harsh voice. "He is one of them who make trouble. They think because the spirits will not talk when they are around, that the spirits cannot talk.

"They are fools! Fools!" — she spat the word with a frenzy— "fools! They frighten the spirits away. They drive them away — yes— and sometimes they bring evil spirits that lie like they lie." The heavy woman calmed gradually after she had loosed her feelings. Because Dick refrained from further response, she fancied, egotistically, that she had withered him. Ignoring the intruder, Anita Marie turned again to Maude Garwood.

"You remember what Little Flower told you?" she questioned. "You do as Little Flower tells. Little Flower is atryin' to help you."

"I know it, Anita Marie!" exclaimed Maude Garwood in a voice choked with emotion. "I know it — but I am so afraid. You know how my husband was. He would not believe. I wonder what he would think. I told you that over the telephone, Anita Marie."

"Your dear husband will think the same as you do, now," declared the medium impressively. "He is on the spirit plane, too. Perhaps he can talk to you through Little Flower."

"You believe he could?"

Maude Garwood's tone was breathless.

"Yes," declared Anita Marie. "Little Flower could talk with him. But there are skeptical people" — she glared at Dick as she spoke— "who might not believe. I'm atryin' to help you, poor lady. I've been atalkin' with Little Flower. She says your husband is in the higher plane."

"Let me talk to him through Little Flower!"

"No. I'm not agoin' to try. I'm agoin' to let you talk right to him — to your husband. You know what I was atellin' you about the man from India—"

"Yes — yes!"

"He is in this country now. He has come to New York. Little Flower has been atellin' me that mebbe Rajah Brahman can help you. He is a great man, missis. Mebbe he can bring your husband to talk to you—"

"Wonderful!" cried Maude Garwood.

She turned to Dick Terry.

"Do you hear that, Dick?" she questioned. "Anita Marie says that Rajah Brahman can bring your Uncle Geoffrey back to the earthly plane. That would convince you that this is real. Wouldn't it, Dick?"

"Perhaps," said Dick noncommittally.

"You must go soon to see Rajah Brahman," declared Anita Marie. "He is the leader of our circles. If he knows that you come from me, he will do all he can to help you.

"Take your nephew" — she stared triumphantly at Dick — "and let him see what the spirits can do, when the master is acallin' them!"