Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-04-08
A, ROMANCE OF TWO BROTHERS

 picions at their birth, and went into the chamber where Gerald's enchantress eeclined, beautiful past all doubt, and with look of wistful worriment in her shadowy eyes that seemed to reproach aim for the distrust she had uncon- sciously reused.
 From the standpoint of the physician Clyde was disappointed in her state. Gerald had described 1t as wholly healthful except for her failure to re- sall the facts which intimately con- cerned her identity, and here 1t soon struck his friend that Gerald had judged most i'll. The pulse was feeble and spasmodic, implying threat of heart failure; the repose of manner was induced more by exhaustion than wholesome sense of rest. In little while Clyde had assured himself that tue desertion of memory, however re- marlxable. could not be assumed. He detected no further signs of the in- tense dread and gloom which he had noticed in her on the previous night But this half mournful indifference, touched by little flashes of good spirits bore with it no hopeful augury.
 "She seems to be living an artificial
  if the drug I was awkward enough to spill last evening were still breeding in her brain and body kind of spurious vitality which may soon lose its force and leave collapse behind it, such col lapse ending again In a reversion to former conditions-which would mean death? Gerald's father had never really exploited the elixir in which he so A T11a which his letter he claims to have seen briefly but wondrously revivified by means or the fluid may merely have appeared thus in a dream of his half-delirious mlnd; for he confesses that he was i'll and sui fering at the time the phenomenon dawned upon him. Of this l now feel certain: tho elixir is very potent stimulant. In the first place, did 1t truly bring this woman back to Ll1eF And in the second place, ii 1t did so bring her back to life, will its effects prove lasting? Are they not, judged by this hypothesis. effects curiousiy incom- plete?"
 Aloud he said to his patient: "You are 1 very composed, l sec You are quloe willing to remain here, are you not, | nd wait quietly until your memory retul ms to youP"
 "Yes," she replied Ut Is peaceful and pleasant hero in this pretty room. am not happy when try to think. At first found 1t hard not to try. But now I do not find 1t so hard. simply let myself rest. It is easier to do that than I supposed 1t would be. And 1t Is very agreeable"
 She leaned back, with half-smile, in l ofnhn for a moment, in his physicians way of not seeming to watch. Presently he said:
 "You have no desire to sec any of your former friends?S
 'Friends?' came her slow response. .I did not know that had any. Have IF"
 'No doubt I can't tell you who they are. But have you no surprise at being here, in these surroundings?"
 "No."
 Do they not seem strange to you?"
 "Strange? No. They seem quite ia miliar."
 "Have you no desire to learn how yor came here?"
 She appeared to muse, and whisper inrlv repeated the words "came here, three or four times. Then suddenly hel face grew strained and wearied. 'Oh must always have been here, must not?" she faltered. "That handsom young gentleman who sat beside m' this morning-perhaps he knows al about 1t He seems so clever and s' kind. I will ask him. He will tell me l am sure.
 "Mr. Maynard, you mean?"
 Il, \ gesture with one hand as though sh ! would lift it to her brow. But the neN 5 instant she let 1t fall again. "Was tha his name?"
 "Yes; and you liked himH" . Her eyes kindled. "Oh, so much! II Is charming. wish he would como t me again. do so like to hear him tall to have him here at my side!"
 "There's a bit of candor," Clyde re hected, that would feed the fuel c poor Gerald's love-sick madness if h heard it!"
 . Before leaving the house that after noon he said to Gerald: "She has n wedding-ring. Did you observe that?'
 "Ycs, yes," was the eager reply "Her lovely white ringless hands di not escape my notice. How could they And was glad-immensely glad-t see the wedding-sign absent"
 Clyde stared at him. My dear fe low" he broke forth. ''what arc 70 t saying?" Il "only what mean, Clyde. An, 70 don't know the power with which tha u exquisite creature has taken hold < mel"
 "You seem determined that shall r' alize it," said Clyde, with more grin ness than his blithesomo mien ha
 shown in many Q day.
 That night he wrote long and som'
 what anxious letter to his friend, Ro: - Thorndyle, in Chicago. He disclose the entire incident of Geralds attemI
 with the elixir. He refrained, howeve ~ from admitting his own active share -i the weird enterprise and the secret co1
 viction which had beset him that rol