Flora put the book in her bag, and then reached over and took up one of the slates. The one on top was marked diagonally with two chalk-lines, and over this was written in slate-pencil the following inscription: 801,101 Chapter Marigold. Beside this, was a thin sheet of slate. She placed it over the marked surface. It fitted the frame exactly and looked, at a cursory glance, precisely like the other slates, its dark surface being clean. She took up another slate. On this was written: Unforeseen difficulties will prevent your book being successful, if you do not take care. Felicia. The Professor grinned. "That’s the dope for old Payson," he explained. "He ought to be here any time, now." He went to the window and looked out. "What game are you going to work with him?" Flora asked. "Oh, only a few of the old stunts. He’s so easy that it won’t be nothin’ but child’s play. I got a lot of the old-fashioned slab-slates for a starter, and I can change ’em on him whenever I want. He won’t insist on test conditions. Anyways, if he does, I got my little spirit friend here handy." He reached up his sleeve, and pulled down a thimble attached to an elastic cord. To the end of the thimble a small piece of slate-pencil was affixed. "The only hard part about it is learnin’ to write backwards and upside down," he commented, as he let the instrument snap back out of sight. "Say, I wish’t I had a double-jointed leg like Slade! I tell you I’d give some sittin’s in this town that would paralyze the Psychical Research!" "But what’s this stuff on the slates mean?" "Oh, them is the answers I’ve prepared. You see, I happened to get hold of some questions he’s goin’ to ask, from a young fellow who goes to his house; and so havin’ inside information, it saves considerable trouble. Funny thing—this chap wants to marry the daughter, who’ll have money, I suppose, and he’s standin’ in with me on account o’ what I can do for him through the old man." "Why, I heard that Granthope was setting his traps for her!" Vixley scowled. "That’s right, too. Frank’s got something up his sleeve that I can’t fathom. He’s been trying to buy me off, in fact, but he’ll never do it. This fellow Cayley naturally has got it in for him, Frank bein’ pretty thick with the girl. So I got to play both ends and work the old man for Cayley and against Frank. But I can do it all right. The old man’s a cinch!" Flora walked up to him. "You’re in luck," she said. She permitted him to put his arm about her small trim waist and looked at him good-naturedly. "Say, Vixley, if he’s as easy as that, why can’t you fix it for some good materializing? We could do all sorts of things for him." "I’d thought of that. It might be a good idea later, and we may talk business with you." "Well, when you’re ready, I’ll do anything you say. You know me." At that moment the front door-bell rang.