Finally he crossed the street, mounted the steps, and rang the bell. The
door was opened, after a considerable interval, by Alta, the elfish
little girl. Paul asked for Mrs. Legrand. Alta said that her mother was
ill to-day, and not able to see any one. Paul then asked for Dr. Hull. He
was not in.
"I wanted to arrange for another seance," he said.
"Will you write, or will you call to-morrow?" asked Alta, in a
business-like manner.
Paul said he would call. Then he hesitated.
"Excuse me," he said, "but may I ask you if there is any one now in the
parlour where we were last night?"
"No one is there," replied the little girl.
"Could you let me just go in and see where she was?" asked Paul, humbly.
"I would not keep you a moment."
Alta, in her character of door-keeper to this house of mystery, was,
doubtless, in the habit of seeing queer people, bent on queer errands.
She merely asked him to step within the hall, saying that she would speak
to her mother. Presently she returned with the desired permission, and,
producing a key, unlocked the parlour door, and ushered Paul in.
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