"Of course, Mrs. Stannard, if you choose to look into this matter I have nothing to say, but you asked me for advice." "I know it," and Joyce shook her head, "but if you don't advise me the way I want you to, I'll----" "Ask somebody else?" "Yes, I believe I will." "Do. I really think if you confer with Barry Stannard or with Mrs. Faulkner, they would give you advice both sound and disinterested. They'd probably tell you to let it alone." "I'm going to ask them, anyway. I won't ask Natalie, for I don't think she knows anything about it. Why, Mr. Roberts, if we could just get a clue to the mystery, it might be of incalculable help." "Yes, but you can't get a clue from a fraud." "I don't believe she is a fraud, but even so, I might learn something from her." "If you do, I hope you will give me the benefit of the information." Joyce laid the matter before Barry and Beatrice. Natalie was present also, and Joyce was surprised to find that the girl was well versed in the whole subject of psychics and occult lore. "I don't know an awful lot about it, Joyce," she said, "but I've read some of the best authorities, and sometimes I've thought I was a little bit psychic myself. I'd like to see this Orienta." "It doesn't seem right," objected Mrs. Faulkner. "What do you suppose she does? Go into trances?" "Yes, of course," said Natalie. "And then she talks and tells things and when she comes to again, she doesn't know what she has said." "Then I don't believe it's true." "Oh, yes, it is, Mrs. Faulkner. I mean, it's likely to be. Why, if she could tell us who----" "Do we want her to?" said Barry, very soberly. "Isn't it better to leave the whole thing a mystery?" "No," said Joyce, decidedly. "I want to find out the truth, if there's any way to do it. I don't think much of detectives, at least, not Mr. Roberts. Oh, he's a nice man,--I like him personally. But he doesn't accomplish anything." "Well, let's have Orienta come here," suggested Natalie. "And we can see how we like her, and if we don't want her to, she needn't try her powers in our cause." "The police might object," said Mrs. Faulkner. "Oh, no," rejoined Barry. "This is a private matter. We're at liberty to do a thing of that sort, if we want to. But I don't approve of it." "I'm going to write to her, anyway," Joyce declared. "I want to see what she proposes to do." "Yes, do," urged Natalie. "And ask her to come here as soon as she can arrange to." X Orienta "I wish you'd use your influence with Joyce, and urge her not to have this poppycock business go on." Barry looked troubled, and his round, good-natured face was unsmiling. "I have tried," returned Beatrice Faulkner, "but she is determined. And, really, it can't do any harm." "It might turn suspicion in the wrong direction." "Barry, what are you afraid of? Do you fear any revelation she may make?"