CROSBY (_sitting in circle up_ C.). At one time. But after Helen married he rather dropped out of it. Fact is, until Trent here appeared on the scene he was always hanging around.
(TRENT _comes down and sits in_ R. _side of circle_.)
STANDISH. Funny they never found out who killed him.
WALES (_standing outside of circle_, L. _side_). They may not. They haven't stopped trying.
MASON (_seated on table_ R.). Oh, are the police still interested?
WALES. Yes, they're interested. As a matter of fact there's a reward of five thousand dollars for the discovery of the murderers.
WALES. Yes. What sort of a man do you think I am? Do you expect me to sit still and let the murderers of Spencer Lee go free? Why, I'd known the man all his life. We were the closest friends.
WILLIAM. But if he was the kind of a man that Standish says--
WALES. I don't give a damn what he was. He was my friend, and I'm never going to rest till I find out who killed him.
WALES. I wouldn't care so much if they'd given the poor devil half a chance for his life, but they stabbed him in the back.
WALES. There wasn't a thing to show who did it, or how it was done. A knife-wound between the shoulder-blades and no knife ever found. Nothing stolen, nothing disturbed. The police have found out that a young woman called to see him that afternoon, two or three hours before his body was discovered. That's all that we know.
TRENT (_with a laugh--still seated in circle_). And now you're going to try spiritualism?
WALES. Why not? (_There is a pause._) Do any of you object?
MASON (_rises, still on_ L. _of table_ R.). You are doing this seriously? This is not a joke?
WALES. Quite seriously. (_There is a pause._) Well, why won't somebody laugh?
CROSBY. My dear fellow, why should anyone laugh? This queer old woman may have powers of which we know nothing at all. Personally, I haven't much belief in that sort of thing, but I'm not going to laugh at it. (_Rise._) Neither am I going to have any trickery, or if there is any I'm going to expose it.
WALES (_over_ L.). That's perfectly fair.
CROSBY. You've been at her séances, or whatever they call them, before?
CROSBY. I may want light. (_He turns to his son._) Billy, if I call for lights you give them to me. Don't wait for anything. Understand?