Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-08-11
CHAPTER L
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A fixed and changelcss expression. A
single sentiment in the dark eyes, turn.
ipr r,~tlcSsly from one serious face to
IN, uthcr. A single sentiment in the
nriii trembling Of the pale lips, in tho
,yrrrssion Of the delicate nostrils, in the
nervous contraction of the bruws that
accompany it.
For a mind which bctrays itself in q
rouutcnancc such rs this, all the posi-.
hlitics Of existence. all that remains of
. lifr aad Happiness, can be summed IN in
unt terrible word-fear. Henceforth
tn, was all that the infinite world of
. Thought and all the endless pleasure of
| htin. could mean to this poor creatures.
In the midst of the sunshine, the free
air. the song of the birds. the whisper
ot lovers. the voices Of friendship, she
must continue TO live on rs unconscious
u them all Us IL her life had been mar
r1wcd down to the darkest dungeon Of
an iuQuisition.
t. deprive face that beams with
intelligence and beauty of the one LIGHT
that makes it priceless, to blot out in
thr twinkling of an eye that unmeasured
univ r~c that exists in the brain of an
individual and leave in its place a soli-
tIrv candle like this glimmering in the
ncht-what n mcasureless crime! And
such crime has been committed Does
,- aid anything to the depth of the in.
fanny or to the burden of the guilt that
tn poor victim was but 10 and had
h.yu struck down in the fullness of
health and strength?
The patient sat on the edge of the bed
from which she had lately arisen in an
alcovr chamber opening into large
apartment, furnished like sitting room.
Twa grave and interested physicians,
GA. gray haired and advanced in years,
th. other of middle age, were watching
h.r There was no evidence that either
ui these men comprehcnded anything of
Ia unEttcrablc pathos of the situation.
IhDr problem was purely n physioiog-
i'.. one. The moral aspects of the case
Governed them only where they aided
a diagnosis. The ccaseless, uneasy mo-
ZION VI tin poor girls hands, clasping
anil unriaspins themselves In her lap,
~" pathetic cry, without an attempt at
articulation, that she uttered from time
~ 'lun. these were the matters that in
r.r,strd Dem.
have observed very curious
films the elder physician was saving.
y !. possible, of course. tina; NAV he
ml,'IE a. but If / am not then this girl
rnes's>"s curious power in remark
able iazrce."
The younger man repeated the phrase
with NJ little wonder, "A curious DOW
us.''
l's, very curious power, I should
saw of what. for want Of better term.
Viii call optical retention. You know
what | mean:"
NJ"
j mean the faculty Of retaining a
S..nr IN the mind after the eyes are
''H''d or the scene removed. We all
nav. u IN varying degrees. You men
non tho writing table at my office, and
immediately an image, tolcrably dis
Nn't Of the size, shape and general ap-
ldflnrc oi th2 table rises before nv
hl''lI-i vision. / mean simply. ii this
LI. WIr, familiar with the looks Of that
0'"l' anu she could be made to under
stand what | am talking about. she
N'uid see thc object III question SO vivid
i' mat II wpuid he to her almost the
f'aii'y-rrrhaps, might say, practical
" tn reality"
Ih" younger physician regarded the
Speaker in silent wonder.
iou don't take my mcaning:"
'Oh, perfectly! Ny term for il is Wis
n'.ization. What puzzles me is that you
.H1uld see any evidences of it here.
what has she done TO show it?''
Not any one thing so much as every
'"iii-. | gcncralizc il from careful OBJ
s.rvation of her movements.
DO you call it SYMPHONY
N"-that Is, / don't know. 1t may
" abnormal, or it may he natural to
nj IN u state of health. l have studied
several cases. One, q very young child
VINO could find his way unerringly about
familiar place blindfolded His family
''Ii"d II instinct, but il was simply
Pi'nomcnal power of retaining the pic
'ur' OF the room in his mind. combined
Win an accurate idea of distance Un-
s''n by him, l disarranged the furniture,
ana he lost his head at once
Yes. but / didn't suppose an idiot
could possess such faculty.
Nor /. But is this an idiot?''
Hun-ha''-T The younger physician
was altogether too cautious to commit
himself, hut he fixed upon the pale face
!" the patient a look Of doubt and un-
certainty that was plain enough of it.
e'N II" shrank rs much a. did his gray
hAirrd colleague from the humiliating
Confession, II don understand the case
~ all. %
The elder physician was certainly in
~ haste 70 pronounce verdict. Called
10Y IN" purpose of aiding his younger
a''p"iate 10 arrive mt "a definite conclu-
SOU as to the nature of the mysterious
maladv under which the patient suf-
l'rud. he had as yet rcfrained from ex-
pressing an opinion, and now he spoke
III thn most guarded and cautious man
nor:
lt sccrns TO me, Lamar, that the
rIN No.. - y