"In the buoyant confidence of youth, the poor girl could not then understand his fears. But _he_ knew that in separating her from Spiritualism he was isolating her from all her friends and associates, and depriving her of the only means she possessed of earning a livelihood. In compensation for the sacrifices required of her, he was giving her a hope only; a hope that might be blissfully realized, but might be sadly disappointed; and in the event of losing him, what must be her destiny!" Dr. Kane met with malignant opposition from Leah, Maggie's elder sister, in his efforts to detach her from the damning career into which she had been thrown. The "shekels" were then pouring in in great abundance at the séances, and this explains sufficiently the hostile attitude of the one person who was chiefly responsible for the ruin of her young life. Thus the doctor wrote to Maggie in New York: "Is the old house dreary to you? * * * Oh, Maggie, are you never tired of _this weary, weary sameness of continual deceit_? Are you thus to spend your days, doomed never to rise to better things?--you and that dear little open-minded sister Kate (for she, too, is still unversed in deception)--are you both to live on thus forever? You will never be happy if you do; for you are not, like Leah, able to exult and take pleasure in the simplicity of the poor, simple-hearted fools around you. "Do, then, Maggie, keep to your last promise. Show this to Katie, and urge her to keep to her resolution."[9] By this time, Maggie had pledged herself to her lover to abandon the "rappings" altogether; but they were both very cautious lest this resolution should be known to her elder sister. Maggie appears to have yielded to the influences around her, in spite of her respect and regard for the doctor, and once or twice to have lapsed back into the ways that he dreaded and abhorred. We find him then, writing from New York to Washington: "Don't rap for Mrs. Pierce.[10] Remember your promise to me. * * * "Begin again, dearest Maggie, and keep your word. No 'rapping' for Mrs. Pierce or ever more for any one. I, dear Mag, am your best, your truest, your only friend. What are they to my wishes? Oh, regard and love me, and listen to my words; and be very careful lest in an idle hour you lose my regard and your own respect." And later: "All last night did this good friend of yours think about you and your probable future.