"Now you're quibbling, Eve," and Landon grew a bit more serious. "When I say unreal, I mean imperceptible to the senses. I hold that a departed spirit cannot return to earth and be seen, heard, or felt by mortal human beings. All the stories of such things to the contrary notwithstanding. If you or any one else has power to show me a visible spook,--I beg pardon, phantasm,--I'll be glad to see it, but I'm from Missouri. I wouldn't be a bit afraid of it, but I'd have to be jolly well convinced of its integrity. No faked-up spectres would go down with me!" "But how can you know?" asked Milly. "I'd be scared to death of one, I'm sure, but if Wynne wants to see one, I do. Let's all go to a séance, or whatever they call the things. Shall us?" "No, indeed!" cried Eve. "Professional séances are always fakes. And I don't aspire to _see_ one. If we could get some messages from the beyond, that would satisfy me." "Get messages how?" asked Braye. "Oh, by a Ouija board, or some such way." "Ouija!" derided Landon; "that's the biggest fraud of all!" "Only in the hands of frauds. If we tried it here by ourselves and if we all trusted each other not to stoop to deception of any sort that would be a fair test." "I'd like that," and Milly giggled in pleased anticipation. "That wouldn't frighten me, and I'd promise to play fair." "There'd be no reason for not playing fair," said Eve, seriously. "We're not a pack of silly children who want to trick one another. If we could get together some evening and have an earnest, serious test, I'd agree. But not if there's to be the least suspicion of anybody trying trickery." At this point two more callers arrived, and Milly jumped up to greet them. "Mr. Bruce!" she exclaimed, "how nice to see you! And Vernie,--my goodness, how you've grown!" "Indeed, yes," and Vernie Reid, a most lively and energetic sub-deb of sixteen, darted from one to another, greeting all with interest. "Hello, Cousin Rudolph, what are _you_ doing here? Mooning after Miss Carnforth, I s'pose. Dear Mrs. Landon, let me sit here by you. I want to show you my graduating gifts." "Oh, yes, you've just had commencement, haven't you?" "Yes, and Uncle Gifford gave me this heavenly wrist-watch, and my respected Cousin Rudolph, over there, sent me this pendant. Isn't it stunning? Oh, I had beautiful presents. I'd like to graduate every year!" "Aren't you going to school any more at all?" "Dunno yet. Uncle Gifford says I am, I say I'm not. It remains to be seen. Though I don't mind confiding to you that I usually get my own way. And, too, out in Chicago, you know, we're not such terrible highbrows. Something tells me my schooldays are over. I think Uncle Gif needs the pleasure of my society at home. And, too, I want to get acquainted with Cousin Rudolph. Until this week I haven't seen him for years." "He isn't your cousin, Vernie."