Mr. Payson, affected by her sympathy, admitted that it was. Under his shaggy eyebrows, his cold eyes watched her anxiously, as if gazing at one who might wrest secrets from him. His belief in her had increased with every sitting, so that now the old man, gray and bald, in his judicial frock-coat, lost something of his influential manner and became more like a child before his teacher, swayed by every word that fell from her lips.
Her manner was half patronizing, half domineering. "What did I tell you? You feel as if, well, you don't quite know _what_ to do, and you're saying to yourself all the time, 'Now, what _shall_ I do?' That's just the condition I get."
"I don't know; I'll try. I ain't feeling very receptive to spirit influence to-day; I guess I overeat myself some; but then, again, I might be very successful; there's no telling. You just let me hold your hands a few minutes and I can see right off whether conditions are favorable or not."
He did so. Suddenly she turned her head to one side and spoke as if to an invisible person beside her.
"Oh, she's here, is she? What is it? She says she can't find him? Well, what about him? What? Shall I tell him that?"
She opened her eyes and drew a long breath.
"Luella is here and she says to tell you that Felicia wants to give you a message. Do you understand who I mean?"
"Yes, I know. She's the lady you spoke to me about before, with the white hair."
He assented timidly, as if fearing to acknowledge it.
"Well, Felicia says she has found the child--child, the one that was lost. Do you understand?"
"Really, I don't like to tell you this, Mr. Payson--"
Madam Spoll dropped her voice, as if fearful of being overheard. "You was in love with her.
Madam Spoll smiled complacently. "Well, Felicia says she has found the boy, and she's going to bring him to you as soon as conditions are favorable. She can't do it yet; the time ain't come for it. That's all I can get from her. But Luella says you're worried about a book, and she wants to help you."
"Wait a minute." Madam Spoll smoothed her forehead with both hands for a while, then went on: "It seems that she can't work through me so well, it being what you might call a business affair, and she recommends that you try some one else, while I'll try to get the boy. I think a physical medium could help you more. There's Professor Vixley; he's something wonderful in a business way. I confess I can't comprehend it. Are you selling books?"