Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-07-03
CARRISTON'S GIFT.
rY HUGH CONWAY.
PART I.
TOLD BY PHILIP BRAND. IF. D.. LONDON.
CHAPTER vlI.-coNrINUED

CHAPTER NlI.-CONTINUED
= AS soon as we were alone turned toward
my guest. "And now" l said, I'VE must
settle what TO do. There seems to me to DO
but one Course open. You have plenty OF
money, 80 your best plan Is tn engage skilled
police assistance. Young ladies can't be
spirited away like this without leaving q
trace"
To my surprise Carriston fatty objected to
this course. NO" he said, II shall not 60
TO the police. The man who took her away
has placed her where no police can find her.
must find her myself"
Find her yourselfl Why, 1t may be
neutrality-suspicious. you do that Good
heavens, Carristoni She may be murdered,
or worse"
II shall know II any further evil happens
TO her-then i shall kill Ralph Carrlston."
"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. mo clew
that you, at any rate, will believe in" he
said. But know this much, she is a pris-
oner somewhere She is unhappy; but not,
as yet, iltreated Heavensl Do you think
II did not know this should keep my
senses for an hourw
HOW can you possibly know it"'
by that gift-that extra sense or what
ever 1t is-which you deride. knew il would
como TO me some day, but i little thought
how / should welcome IT. / know that IN
some way / shall find her by IT. tell you
have already seen her three times. / may
see her again at any moment when the
strange fit 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 had given Mr. Ralph
Carriston, felt that common sense was UNI
deniably on his side.
Tell me what you mean by your strange
fit" l said, resolved to find out the nature of
Carriston's faneics or Authorizations. as it
kind of trance you fall into%
He seemed loath TO give any information
on the subject, but pressed him for an an
swer.
'sYes," he said at last. at must be a kind
Of trance An Undesirable feeling comes
over me. know that my eyes are fixed on
some object-presently that object vanishes,
and see Madeline"
"How do you see her?"
''She seems to stand in blurred circle of
A6Ae 40 N~ob W IN TIC
only way that can describe IT, But her fig-
ure Is plain and clear-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 moro. have seen
her talking. knew she was cntreating some
one, but that some one was invisible Yet
II she touched that person, the virtue of her
tOnlah would auaha mi IN him
So far as could see, Carriston's case APP
peared TO be one of over-wrought, or unduly-
stimulated imagination. His, had always
considered TO be mind of the most peculiar
construction. In his present state of love,
| grief, and suspense these Authorizations
might come in the same way in which dreams
come. For little while sat in silence, con-
sidering how could best combat and dlspel
his remarkable delusions. Before / had ar
rived at any decision ! was called away to
see patient. i was but short time engag-
ed. Then l returned TO Carriston, intending
TO continue my inquiries
Upon re-entering the room / found him
sitting, as had left hm-directly opposite
10 the door. His face was turned fully to-
ward me, and trembled as caught sight of
It. He was leaning forward; his hands on
| the tab!e-cloth, his whole frame rigid, his
| eyes staring In one direction, yet, knew,
! capable of seeing nothing that could see.
He seemed even oblivious to sound, for j en-
tered tho room and closed the door behind
me without causing him to change look or
position. The moment saw the man
| knew that he had been overtaken by what he
called the strange it
My first impulse-a 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 I
could call II by no other name than disease
| 30 proceeded to make q systematic exam
inatiorpof his symptoms.
leaned across the table and, with my face
about foot from his. looked straight into
his eyes. They betrayed no sign of recogni-
tion--no knowledge Of my presence. ] am
ashamed TO say could not divest myself Of
the impression that they were looking through
me. The pupils were greatly dilated. The
lids were wide apart. lighted taper and
held 1t before them but could see no expan-
sion OF the iris II was a case, / confess, en-
arely beyond my comprehension 1 had no
experience which might serve as guide as
to what was the best course to adopt. All
could do was to stand and watch carefully
Save for his regular breathing and sort of
convulsive twitching of his fingers, CarTiston
might have been a corpse or statue. His
face could scarcely grow paler than 1t had
aeen before the attack. Altogether, II was
an uncomfortable sight; a creepy sight-this
motionlcss man. utterly rSoss-.--dlcSs Of all that
went on around him. and seeing, or giving
one the idea that he saw, something far away.
sighed as / looked at the strange spectacle,
and foresaw what the end must surely be.
Nut although l longed for him to awake, l
determined on this occasion to let the trance,
or fit, run its full course, that might notice
In what manner and how soon consciousness
returned.
must have waited and watched some ten
minutes-minutes which seemed to me inter
lninable. At last saw the lips culver, the
lids flicker once or twice, and eventually close
YEARLY over the eyes. The unnatural ten
sion of every muscle seemed to relax, and,
signing deeply, and apparently quite exhaust
ed, CarriSton sank back into his chair with
beads OF perspiration forming on his white
brow. The fit was over.
In a moment was at his side and forcing
glass of wine down his throat. lie looked
up at me and spoke His voice was faint
4 N.tuNI 10. l.