The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-11

81 wouId have been her tears il shed from
the troubled glooms Of her eyes.
.sIirn not a chemist" Thorndyke has
tened to reply; I'm a physician or
was"
Her LOOKS frightened again. ssThen you
do not speak with any real certainty, after
ALL
.:ah. nv dear lady. As if one could not
he s,lre ne had left the elixir Of life and the
philosophers stone both very far indeed
behindtH
s.Buf this liquefactIon of electricity
which SyIvan's dead father descTioes-for
which he offers the very formula of pre-
raration-would you assert that 10 be I'M
possiblez p
Il wouId-yes.
Lucia unused for a moment, and then
gave her head 50 earnest q negative shake
/ that it's Messy bropze-brosn loops OF hair
emitted iashes IN the lamplight ike those
from polished mahogany.
But YOU are stating in so many words, "
she exclaimed, that EgDert Maynard vas
madman.'
There ares many sane madmen in the
world"
She struck the edge Of her chair i'm
patiently with one clenched hand.
THAT Is no answer. so many things no
more wonderful than his assumed inTen-
ton hare happened. To concentrate, the
vital principle of ali existence-I see moth
ing more extraordinary IN il than TO
achieve the telegraph, the telephone. At
least, can't understand why il should be
scoffed at before il Is tried.
Tborndyke laughed. Il don't scott at
il, he said. But il is like having some
one tell you that he had constructed an
apparatus By means OF which you could
see round corner
Il can imagine such an apparatus being
constructed
zone can imagine the miraculous" con-
coded ThoTndyke. with smile OF skeptic
amusement cleaning between MS gray
bearded lips. But / don't suppose that
your husband viii object 10 testing the
truth or faisity Of what his father so nTmiy
believed. "
Lucia once more shook her head, and
this time with forlorn motion. Object
You don't know him. He's always afraid
of that prescription, as though it were a
cobra"
afraid of it,"
"Assuredly."
s.And why2" queried Thorndyke, with a
sudden recollection of how his dead
friends dead wife had once deported her
self
"Why?H Lucia repeated She made a
quick little gesture Of evaporation and
disgust. Hes tremendously religious
know that? Haven't you seen it, |
think that from some sacred sense Of lsiial
respect he would never destroy those
papers But he's already locked them up
soInew here, and regrets that be ever al
lowed me 70 gain glimpse Of them"
.'You say that he's afraid OF them ~
asked Thorndyke, pierced with memories
of Gcorgina Maynard's past behavior.
YES. They AL him with horror. /
don't know II he has any faith in the
chemical marvels they suggest. But he
remembers that his mother more than
once told him of how his father died an
inndeI''
"Ahi" said her listener, drawing long
breath He felt a. If some specter were in
the room, yiewleSs and yet palpabie. i
see, Sylvan believes"
THAT there would be something bias
phemous about such an achievement"
broke in Lucia, "even if il could possibly
be made" She rose, and for a moment
appeared 10 listen intently. THAT is he
now" she al length said. in quick, low
warning way, and almost Immediately
Sylvan entered.
The doctor stayed for nearly an hour
| longer, but during this time there was no
resumption of the subject on which his
wife and Thorndyke had been engaged
''He wishes TO let it pass unmentioned
| from this time forward" the doctor told
| himself ALI bow heredity speaks
| herei And what a difference between the
| brothersi II Is so easy 10 imagine Gerald
| full of ardor to try the truth of what his
father has asserted. instead of being brow
beaten al the outset by paltry, supersti.
| tious fears"
AS more DAYS went on the doctor felt
| piqued by Sylvan's continued retIcence.
| Not TO volunteer one syllable regarding a
/ trust faithfully kept for many years. Such
/ r16 n iruh
/ of crude manners, TO say nothing OF il
/ more severe. By this time Thorndyke
/ term of sojourn in New York had almost
/ drawn TO close. He had found that his
| Investments and general business interests
/ as property holder in ana near Chicago
| made il inconyenient If not quite impossi.
bic TO remain much longer in the East. Be
/ sides, he had become fond of the huge
town that has sprung up with so magic q
| speed if perhaps with an over-great will
/ ingness 10 be tribe too impressed by IL
| self as a prodigy. He felt actual home.
/ sick longings TO gaze again on some OF
/ those very features of IL which long ago. as
an immigrant Englishman, he had round
l ly ridiculed.
/ He decided that he would make no at
| tempt 10 break the ice with Sylvan. II
/ was ice of the young mans own freezing
| let il stay rigid if he so wi!ied. Pressing
| letters came from Chicago, and Thornd ke
/ resolved 10 start AT once. Before doing so
! he said TO Sylvan that his brother would
soon arrive in New York and that il
! would, OF course. be better for Gerald 70
remain there a month or so before going
| into the West. As regards your broth
I er's feelings on the question OF practising
/ his new profession either here or IN Chi.
/ cage" he continued. THAT is 3 matter
which ! shall want him wholly TO decide
/ Tor himself Nv friend, DR.. Ciysse. in East
] VU1E 3.es =.
| and counsellor. Clyde Is young. and a
/ rriIe too imaginative | sometimes think
/ for a physician. But be is immensely
/ clever, has won a brilliant repute a. 3
I specialist in nervous diseases, and prom
Uses me that he viii aid Gerald in every
/ possible way"
/ sylvan seemed to reflect for brief while
! on the frank and genial sentences Just
! heard. THANK YOU very much. he pres
/ entity said. You have been so kind 10
| Gerald that am sure be must appreciate
| il most gratefully"
/ "Contound the fellow - Thorndyke said
| to himself after quitting Sylvan's door
/ step. He couldn't give me any heartier
| or more graceful answer than thatl | can
! understand how his legal ability has al
| ready made him a lawyer with strong
! promise of success. Thank fate for the few
/ men IN this world who are nor born either
/ mint or pulp. | begin 10 think that char
| acter Is the one thing We claim in our lei.
| low-mortals, whether ii be sanity or dew
/ ilish.m
And then a seif-accusing smile cleaned
/ on Dr. Thorndyke'S face as he moved on.
/ ward amid the ugly browustone perkine>s
/ and ''stylishneSS' OF Fifth avenue After
/ AL, his musings proceeded, what char.
! acteT have Il Ii ever there was a being
! without the vaguest social individuality.
| such biped is Ross Thorndyke"
1 No DON'T be MAS right in 1uSr .hs Sr.fal
/ sense Of which he had made mental note
| But when al i said. bow often nlr.rn n