Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1890-09-27

ener's face, but his voice still remained bland
and suave. Il am sorry 10 differ from you,
DIR. Brand" he said, but I know him better
than you do have seen him as you have
never yet seen him. Only last night he came
10 me In a frantic state. ] expected every
moment he would make a murderous attack
on me-"
Perhaps he fancied he had some reasons
for anger" ] said.
Ralph Carriston looked at me with those
cold ewes of which his cousin had spoken.
IF the boy has succeeded in converting you
10 any OF his delusions / can only say that
doctors are more credulous than | fancied.
But the question is not worth arguing. You
decline 10 assist me, so | must do without
you. Good-morning, Dr. Brandt
He left the room az gracefully as he had
entered II. i remained I'm a state Of doubt
1t was curiou that Ralph Carrlston turned
out TO be the man whom l had met I'm the
train; but the evidence offered by the coinci-
dence was not enough 10 convict him Of the
crime of endeavoring TO drive his cousin mad
by such a faT-fetched stratagem as the lnyeig-
ling away of Madeline Rowan. Besides,
| even in wishing to prove Charles GARRISON
mad, he had much to say on his side. Sup
posing him TO be innocent OF having abducted
Madeline, CaTriston's violent behavior on the
preceding evening must have seemed very
much like insanity. In spite Of the aversion
with which Ralph Carriston inspired me, 1
scarcely knew which side to believe.
Carriston still slept; SO when out on my
afternoon rounds | left a note, begging him
To remain In the house until my return.
Then / found him up, dressed, and looking
much more like himself. When / entered
dinner was on the table, so not until that
meal was over could we talk unrestrainedly
upon the subject which was uppermost in
both our minds.
AS soon as we were alone I turned toward
my guest And now" / said, 1--WE must
settle what to do. There seems to me to be
but one course open. You nave plenty OF
money, 80 your best plan is TO engage skilled
police assistance. Young ladies can't be
spirited away like this without leaving a
trace"
To my surprise Carriston fatty objected TO
this course. mo" he said, Il shall not go
TO the police. The mar who took her away
has placed her where no police can find her.
1 must find her myself"
Find her YOURSELF Why, II may be
neutrality-suspicious. you do that! Good
heavens, CarTlston! She may be murdered,
or wOrse-"
81 shall know il any further evil happens
to her-then ! shall kill Ralph Carriston."
but you tell me you have no clew what
ever to trace her by. Do talk plainly. Tell
me all or nothing"
Carriston smiled, very family. No clew
that you, at any rate, will believe in" he
said. But | know this much, she Is a pris-
] nnpr goTnasthara Che Ia nnhaRpt.. b,.t ,,nt
as yet, illtreated. Heavensl Do you think
II | did not know this | should keep my
senses for an houry'
How can you possibly know it?"
by that gift-that extra sense or what
ever 1t is-which you deride. / knew il would
come to M some day, but | little thought
how | should welcome il. | know that in
some way | shall find her by il. | tell you l
have already seen her three times. / may
see her again at any moment when the
strange tit comes over me-"
All this fantastic nonsense was spoken so
simply and with such an air Of conviction
that once more my suspicious as to the state
OF his mind were aroused. In spite of the
brave answers which l had given Mr.. Ralph
Carriston, l felt that common sense was UNI
deniably on his side.
Tell me what you mean by your strange
Mt / said, resolved TO find out the nature of
CarTiston's fancies or Authorizations. us il
q kind of trance you fall into%'
lie seemed loath TO give any information
on the subject but / pressed him for an am
sweT.
YES" he said at last. at must be a kind
of trance. An indescribable feeling comes
over me. ] know that my eyes are fixed on
some object-presently that object yanishes,
and ! see Madeline"
"How do YOU see her?'
"She seems to stand in a blurred circle of
light as cast by a magic lantern. That Is the
only way that | can describe il. But her fig
ure is plain and ciear-she might be close 10
me. The carpet on which she stands 1 can
see, the chair on which she sits, the table on
which she leans her hand, anything she
touches | can see; but no more. have seen
her talking. Knew she was entreatlng some
one, but that some one was invisible. Yet,
II she touched that person, the virtue OF her
touch would enable me 10 see him."
So far as l could see, Carriston's case ap-
peared 10 be one of over wrought, or unduly-
stimulated imagination. His, / had always
considered to be a mind of the most peculiar
construction. In his present state of love,
grief, and suspense these h~allucinations
might come In the same way in which dreams
come. For a little while | sat in silence, con-
sidering how l could best combat and dlspel
his remarkable decisions. Before | had ar.
rived at any decision l was called away To
see a patient. | was but a short time engag.
ed. Then | returned to Carriston, intending
to continue my inquiries.
Upon re-entering the room / found him
sitting, as l had left him-directly opposite
to the door. His face was turned fully to-
ward me, and l trembled as | caught sight OF
It. He was leaning forward; his hands on
the table-cloth, his whole frame rigid, his
eyes staring in one direction, yet, / knew,
capable of seeing nothing that I could see.
He seemed even oblivious to sound, for l en-
tered the room and closed the door behind
me without causing him 10 change look or
position. The moment / saw the man !
knew that he had been o~yertaken by what ne
called the strange fit.
My first impulses natural one-was to
arouse him, but second thoughts told me that
this was an opportunity for studying his dis
ease which should not be LOST felt that l
could call 1t by no other name than disease
SO / proceeded TO make a systematic exam
nation Of his symptoms.
L leaned across the table and, with my face
about a foot from his, looked straight into
his eyes. They betrayed no sign of recogni-
tion-no Knowledge of my presence. / air
ashamed to say l could not divest myself Of
the impression that they were looking through
me. The pupils were greatly dilated. The
ids were wide apart. l lighted a taper and
held II before them, but could see no expan'
sion Of the iris. II was a case, I confess, en-
tlrely beyond my comprehension. l had nc
experience which might serve as a guide AZ
to what was the best course TO adopt. AL
could do was to stand and watch carefully
for any change.
Save for his regular breathing and a sort OF
~conyulsive twitching of his fingers, Carriston
might have been q corps or a statue. His
face could scarcely grow paler than it had
been before the attack. Altogether, II was
an uncomfortable sights; a creepy slght-this
motionless man, utterly regardless of all that
went on around him, and seeing, or giving
one the idea that he saw, something far away.
! sighed as l looked at the strange spectacle,
and foresaw what the end must surely be.
But although l longed for him to awake, ]
determined on this occasion 10 let the trance,
or fit, run its full course, that l might notice
In what AM and how soon consciousness
returned.