"Oh, lots of reasons." Braye put her off. "But let's settle down for another week here, and then we'll see."
"Then I'm going to tell Wise to come up for that week," declared the Professor. "I don't altogether adhere to my conviction as to supernatural powers, and I want to see what a big, really clever detective can dig up in the way of clues or evidence or whatever they work by."
"Oh, cut out Wise," urged Braye. "We don't want any more detectives than we are ourselves. And Peterson is pretty busy just now, too."
It was after the confab broke up that Milly went to Braye.
"Why don't you want Mr. Wise to come?" she said, without preamble.
"Why, oh,--why just 'cause I don't," he stammered, in an embarrassed way.
"You can't fool me, Rudolph," she said, with an agonized look on her pretty face. "You are afraid he'll suspect Wynne,--aren't you?"
"Don't, Milly," urged Braye, "_don't_ say such things!"
"You are! I know from the way you try to put me off. Oh, Braye, he _didn't_ do it! He hadn't any hand in any of the queer doings, had he, Rudolph? Tell me you _know_ he hadn't!"
"But, listen, Rudolph, I heard some of the things that Peterson man said to you, I listened at the door, I couldn't help it."
"I don't care! I'm not ashamed. But,--I heard him say that he thinks Wynne is in league with Mr. Stebbins and that the two of them brought about all the mysterious doings----"
"Hush, Milly! Don't let any one hear you! You mustn't breathe such things!"
"Then forget it, as soon as you can. Trust me, Milly. I'll do all I can to keep suspicion from Wynne. But, do this, Milly. Use all your powers of persuasion with Professor Hardwick, and make him give up his plan of getting that detective up here. That Wise is a wise one indeed! He'll find out every thing we don't want known, and more, too! Will you, Milly, _will_ you,--if only for Wynne's sake--try to keep that man away?"
"I'll try, Rudolph, oh, of course I will! But what can I do, if the Professor has made up his mind? You know how determined he is."
"Get the girls to help. Don't breathe to them a word that you overheard Peterson say, but manage to make them do all they can to keep that detective off. If you all band together, you can do it. Wynne won't want him; I don't; I don't think Mr. Tracy will; and if you women are on our side, Hardwick will be only one against the rest of us, and we _must_ win the day! Milly, that Wise must _not_ come up here,--if you value your peace of mind!"