Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-07-03

| may be. know, as well rs you do, that the
very exhaustion / now feel must be injurious
70 any one"
In truth, he looked utterly worn out Very
much dissatisfied with his concession, tho
best could get from him, sent him 10 bed,
knowing that natural rest, II he could get 1t,
would do more than anything else toward
restoring healthy tone to his mind.
| VIII.
Although Carriston stated that he came to
me for aid, and 1t may be, protection, he
manifested the greatest reluctance In follow
ing any advice offered him. The Obstlnacy
of his refusal to obtain the assistance Of the
police placed me In q predicament That
Madeline Rowan had really disappeared !
was, of course, compelled to believe. 1t
might even be possible that she was kept
against her will in some place OF conceal
ment In such case it behooved us TO take
proper steps to trace her. Her welfare should
not depend upon the hallucinatlons and &C.
centric ideas of man half out OF his senses
with love and grief. all but resolved, even
at the risk OF FORGETTING Carriston's friend
ship, TO put the whole matter In the hands of
the police, unless In the course of q day or
two we heard from the girl herself, or Carris-
ton suggested some better plan
Cuiiously enough, although refusing 10 be
| guided by me- he made no suggestion on his
own account He was racked by fear and
suspen Sc, yet his only idea of solving his diff
ticulties seemed TO be that Of waiting. He
did nothing. He simply waited, as If he ex-
pccted that chance would bring what he
should have been searching for high and
low.
Some DAYS passed before l could get
tardy consent that aid should be sought.
Even then he would not go to the proper
quarter; but he allowed me TO summon TO
our councils man who advertised himself
as being private detective. This man, or
one of his men, came az our cal, and heard
family gave him one of Madeline's photo
graphs. He also told him that only by watch
ing and spying on Ralph Caniston's every
action could he hope to obtain the clew. !
did not much like the course adopted, nor
inquiry was intrusted; but at any rate some
thing was being done.
A week passed without news from our
agent Carriston, In truth, did not seem to
expect any / believe he only employed the
man in Difference to my wishes. He moved
about the house In disconsolate fashion. l
had not told him Of my interview with his
cousin, but had cautioned him OF the rare oc-
casions upon which he went out OF doors TO
avoid speaking 70 strangers, and my servants
had strict instructions to prevent any ono
For had during those days opened con-
hdential inquiry on my own account
wanted 10 learn something about this Mr.
Ralph Carriston. So asked a man who
knew everybody to find out all about him.
he reported that Ralph CarTiston was q
man well-known about London. He was
married and had a house In Dorsetslire; but
the greater part OF his time was spent in
town. Once he was supposed TO be well-off; ,
but now IL was the general opinion that every
acre he owned was mortgaged, and that he
was much pressed for money. But" my
informant said, there is but one life between
him and the reversion TO large estates, and
that life is q poor one. believe even now
there is talk about TIE man who stands in his
way being mad. IL SO, Ralph Carrlston will
get the management of everything"
After this news felt 1t more than ever
needful TO keep watchtul eye on my friend.
so far as knew there had been no recur-
renee Of the trance, and began to hope that
proper treatment would effect a complete
cure, when, TO my great alarm and annoy
ance, CarriSton, while sitting with me, sud
denly and without warning fell into the same
strange state Of body and mind as previously
described. This time he was sitting in an
other part of the room. After watching him
for minute or two and just as was making
up my mind To arouse him and scold him
thoroughly for his folly, he sprung 10 his feet,
and shouting Let her gol Loose her, /
sayV rushed violently across the room-so
violently, that had barely time TO interp0se
and prevent him from coming into contact
with the opposite wall
Upon returning 10 his senses he told me,
Will BICdt thClIcIlltIt. lIldl TIC nhu again Sctll
Madeline; moreover, this time he had seen a
man with her-a man who had placed his
hand upon her wrist and kept IL there; and
so, according TO Carriston's wild reasoning.
became, on account Of the contact, visible to
him.
He told me he had watched them for some
moments, until the man, tightening his grip
on the girls arm, endeayored, he thought, to
lead her or induce her 10 follow him some
where. AT this tuncture, unaware that he
| zfxasr NJ eli In had hal 10 hnr
assistance In the frantic way have describ-
| ed-then he awoke
He also tod me he had studied the mans
features and general appearance most care
fully with view to future recognition. All
these ridiculous statements We're made as he
made the former ones, with the air Of one re-
lating simple, undeniable facts-one speak
ing plain, unvarnished truth, and expecting
full credencc 70 be given to his words.
| 1t was too absurd too sadl Ii was evident
to me that the barrier between his hallucina-
tons, dreams, visions, or what he chose 10
call them, and pure insanity, was now a very
slight and fragile one. But before gave his
case up as hopeless determined TO make an
other strong appeal 10 his common sense.
told him of his cousins visit TO me-of his in
tcntions and proposition. begged him to
consider what consequences his extraordinary
beliefs and eXtravagent actions must eventu-
ally entail. lie listened sttentively and
calmly.
You see now" he said, "how right was
in attributing all this TO Ralph CarTiston-
how right was TO come to You, a doctor of
standing, who can vOuch for my sanity"
"Vouch for your sanityl How can | when
you sit here and talk such arrant nonsense,
and expect me 10 believe it? When you
jump from your chair and rush madly at
some visionary foe? Sane as you may be in
all else, any evidence i could give in your
favor must break down in cross-examination
If an inkling OF these things got about Come,
Carriston, be reasonable, and prove your
sanity by setting about this search for Miss
| Rowan in a p-cper way"
He made no rely, but walked up and
down the room appaIS--.ly in deep thought.
My words seemed 10 have hcd no effect upon
him. Presently he seated himself; and as If
to avoid returning to the argument. drew a
book at hazard from my shelves and began 10
read. He opened the volume at random but
after reading few lines seemed struck by
something that met his eyes, and i'm a few
minutes was deeply immersed in the contents
of the book. ] glanced at il 10 see what had
so awakened his interest BY curious IA
tally he had chosen book the very worst
for him in his present frame of mind-Gil-
christ's recently published life of William
Blake, that mastery memoir of malt'ySho
was on certain points as mad as Carlson
~. n