Then a masculine voice, a very soft, gentle masculine voice, said, “I beg your pardon, Captain Hallett, but may I—­ah—­ask a question?”

The very gentleness of the voice and the calmness of its tone had more effect in securing the light keeper’s attention than any shout could possibly have done.  Captain Jethro stopped in his stride.

“Eh?” he grunted.  “Eh?  What’s that?”

Galusha Bangs moved forward, quietly elbowing his way from the back row of the circle to the open space before the inner line of chairs and their excited occupants.

“It is—­ah—­I, Captain Hallett,” he observed, calmly, “I wished to ask a question.  You see, I have been very much interested by the—­ ah—­manifestations here this evening.  Very much so, really—­ indeed, yes.”

The light keeper interrupted.  “Don’t bother me!” he ordered, savagely.  “I’m goin’ to find that sneakin’ rascal, and—­ Get out of my way, will you?”

Somehow or other the little Egyptologist had moved forward until, without appearing to have made an effort to do so, he was directly in the captain’s way—­that is, between the latter and the door of the front hall.  The command to get out of the way he acknowledged politely and with caution.

“Yes, yes, of course,” he said, hastily.  “I’m very sorry.  Very sorry indeed.  I beg your pardon, Captain Hallett.  Now there is one point in this lady’s—­ah—­messages—­ah—­communications, you know—­which puzzles me somewhat.  You see—­”

“I can’t stop to talk to you now.  I’m goin’ to—­ will you get out of my way?”

“Was I in your way?  I beg your pardon.  How clumsy of me!  I—­ah—­ You see, this lady’s last message seemed to point so directly in my direction that I felt constrained to speak.  You see, when she, or her—­control, is it?—­mentioned my being here in your house and accused me of having an evil influence upon your daughter, I—­well, I was surprised and—­ah—­hurt.”

A general gasp of astonishment from the circle behind him interrupted.  Mr. Abel Harding shouted “Eh!” and, for a wonder, his wife did not take him to task for it.  For the matter of that, she had uttered an exclamation also.  So had Ophelia Beebe and many others.  Zacheus whistled.  Primmie once more referred to her saving soul.  Martha Phipps cried out.

As for Jethro Hallett, he stared uncomprehendingly at the Bangs’ face which looked so earnestly and gravely up into his.  He drew a hand across his forehead and breathed heavily.

“Wha—­what are you talkin’ about?” he demanded.  “Who—­who said anything about you?”

Galusha transferred his gaze from the light keeper’s countenance to that of Miss Marietta Hoag.  The medium’s moonlike visage bore an expression of intense surprise.

“Why—­ah—­she did,” replied Galusha, gently.  “This lady here.  She said that an outsider, a small, dark man, was exerting an evil influence upon Miss Lulie—­upon your daughter.  Then she said this person was here in your house.  Now, as I am the only person present who answers to that description, naturally I—­well, I—­ really, I must protest.  I have the highest respect and regard for your daughter, Captain Hallett.  I should be the last, the very last, to wish to exert any such influence.”