The rustler., 1891-09-25

Iur the moment the blow stclntu 10 I
blind me: but as We had rolled over I.
into the gap Of light from the window ]
I caught sight Of his face. turned mp as
Il was toward mine. and ! saw-whose I.
face think you? Why; no other than
my own-yes. my very own, A. ! well
knew IL In the looking-glass
That one instant Of ama1cment and
CONSERVATION In which. a. by fash. l
made this recognition. was followed by
a total oblivion of all surroundings.
The face aud figure seemed 10 fade
away beneath me aud % vanish with
my consciousness.
How long lay PROSTATE, face down
ward ON the floor. know not; but in
that position found myself when my
bewildcred senses slowly returned.
For awhile. Of course. ! could remcm-
her nothing-how came there or what
had brought me 10 such n pass Only
very slowly did the circumstances re-
call themselves What ON earth did
they mean? My forehead was unmis-
takably cut and still. bleeding; indeed
there was n patch of congsaled blood
ON the carpet plainly visible In the
broad food of early sunlight now
streaming In beneath the hali-raised
blind Had | been dreaming? More
likely / had had fit; anyhow, | was
80 utterly bewildcrcd that II was some
time before my thoughts became CO.
herent Then. alarmed and fully con-
scious for the first time In my life that
must be seriously III or laboring I'M
der some mysterious mental alteration.
| rose from the floor and sat down in
an adjacent chair
As my eyes wandered vacantly
around they fell upon the circular TOP
of the old escritoire II was partially
open. Some one had been at IL; that
was clear! That was no dream, nc
fancy--scarccl due TO fit, one would
think-at least, not of the sort had
tremblingly thought Of Yes, ant
there was the missing key in the lock
When these facts had been fully broker
in upon my cobwebbcd brain, they led
TO but one idea Acting upon IL,
pushed the lid full open, and with th'
rapidity OF thought pulled out one
J
most OF them, were deposited a lot o
the articles and objects | had so lonl
missed-there. in this neglected, use
less piece of old furniture. turne,
them all out in confusion worse con
founded than my thoughts. But ther
they wcre-plmost every one; ciga
case. silver match box, trinlIets, locke
| 4 fsfV f.l
bank notes
! Then how on earth had they come I
be in this place? A thief would hard
ly have stolen them 10 conceal ther
thus in my own apartments, unless
I unless-and then, very reluctantly
) slowly, and at first but vaguely, did
/, arrive at the conclusion, unless tn
i thief was myself
Verify, this was an alarming suppos
!, tion, and confirmed my worst dread.
Z must be suffering under some frightfI
inexplicable brain disease, for that
had done this thing | was wholly an
= totally unconscious.
' For days and days, however, ] too
y no action / hesitatcd TO breathe
= word of the extraordinary affair to
:, soul. Who would believe il? Ever,
T" body would say had gone out of N
; mind thought SO myself. | doubtC
If any doctor wuuld,acccpt rs veraciol
this wild account of my dread AVA
ening TO the truth Yet, as ] knew
, 90 be the truth, | set this record OF
u down while II was all fresh in II
y memory, and eventually, being unab
n any longer To bear the horrible 81
d pense and pcrplexity in which u
81 strange experience had left me, ] put
- before medical friend.
IS TO my unspeakable astonishment,
III believed every word of IT, Then, aft
II answering his endless. searching gu
~ tions. and when he had listened TO su
y verbal additions TO the narrative as
II could give him, he did not doubt oI
y single point.
Dt yes" he said, amongst other col
,, plications, you probably have be'
III walking in your sleep and yourself I
u creting the various articles from tin
'e TO time. The key of the escritoir
III which YOU imagine to have BET
NJ the object taken from behind the loo
h' ing-glass by the figure You fancy y
saw, had been placed there by yo
'e own hand. Your brain retained sol
ly dim perception Of your having done !
H. and the disordcred condition of yo
aS nervous system accounts for that p'
e' ception assuming the shape Of figu
resembling yourself, and in state
k. partial unconsciousness you dashed u
'ei on your imaginary burglar-your o'
n ghost, in fact fell and fully restor
BY your senses to their equilibrium
lie that rap ON your head. However, II
rk enough for you II ! tell you that yo
20 nervous system is wholly broken dow
at .a A.. Il 40. aon,t tnlrn a lonn ho