Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-09-23
CHATTER XI.

II must make confession to you.
What ! said about wanting TO talk over
Il legal point was only pretext to see
You alone about another matter. Your
friend must be hypnotized tonight
after he falls asleep naturally. You
see, had to get the idea Of the test out
of his mind, for tLit would have made
him unusually waLefu' II he WAS
hypnolzed on the night of The murder
/. was done when he was asleep, and of
course, for our test the conditions
II ust be the same. have prepared his
mind so that he viii sleep soundlS
tonight, and, if everything works well,
think that ! can prove c1nciusiyeIy
what his actions were on the night Of
the murder"
81 see replied the colonel, 81 place
myself in your hands. Use me as you
will"
"You must take him for short drive
this evening at about seven" con.
tInued the doctor. while you are out
| shall come in and secrete myseIisome-
where upstairs. Then you must make
some excuse for wanting to spend the
night in his house. would have you
occupy the bed Of tie murdered man,
but am afraid WILDLY would be sur
prised at your choice, so stay wherever
he puts you, but manage 10 send that
manseryant away for the night. We
shall want the house entirely to our
selves About two O'Clock in the morn
ing shall come TO your room ami
arouse you. WILDLY won't awake; |
Shall see TO that"
"You can rely on me-" The colonel
promised; but should like to ask one
question, II may
AS many as you like
"Fromyourobseryalionss so far, would
you think the blood on the portiere, the
spot on the chair, and the drop on the
cuff would have come from Whidby's
hand after simply touching the bloody
shect?'
"'ro be frank, am going to work on
the supposition that they could not
answered the hypnotist, and he left the
colonel deeply perpleyed.
A few moments after two o'clock the
next morning Warrenton. who had
been put by WILDLY into the large
gucst-chamber over Strong's old room,
heard light step ON the stairs. He
rose from chair near the window and
opened the door. 1t was the doctor
why" said the visitor in surprise,
mot asleep? ! thought should make
you furious by rousing you from sweet
dreams"
Couldn't sleep to save my life" said
the colonel, sheepishly. Il tried for
four solid hours, but it was lmpos.
sible. twas the thought Of the whole
uncanny business, suppose"
ut is always impossible when one
tries hard to sleep" said the hypnotist.
lie closed the door softly, ana sat down
on the side Of the bed. "The idea Is TO
forget nll about it, and nature will do
all the rest. An effort to sleep keeps
the mind active, and activity of thought
prevents sleep"
"Whcrc have you been?" asked the
colonel.
"Slumbering sweetly ON a lounge in
the library ever since WILDLY turned in.
II had known that you were restless,
| could have put you to sleep without
even seeing You"
II shouldn't care to have you do it."
said the colonel, with smile.
Its absolutely harmless, The fact
is, you often hypnotic yourself when
you so to sleep. But we are losing time.
Before we go down to Whldby's room.
! want to say that | have some hopes of
demonstrating that he was not an in.
strumcnt in the hands of the murderer;
but, no matter what may be the result
Of our Investigations, it is clearly our
duty to confer with Minard Hendricks.
VI fully agree with you" replied War
renton, "and so will my friend"
The doctor rose "Whidby will be UNI
conscious of all that takes place to-
night and If it should happen to be
very unpleasant we need not tell him
the particulars"
Certainly; good idea, indeed" War.
renton looked down at the feet of the
hypnotist But you need slippers.
Had not better get you pair?"
mo; the soles OF my shoes are thin.
and ! can tread like cat when wish.
Follow me-"
Slowly and cautiously they descended
the stairs At Whidby's door the hypno-
tiststopped, hcldup his hand warningly,
bent his body forward. and stood mo-
tionless for about two minutes. War
renton did not know whether he was
listening for sound within or concen-
trating his hypnotic power on WILDLY.
In the dim moonlight that fell through
the frosted glass of the front door. the
colonel could see the doctors forehead
was wrnkled, and his massive brows
drawn together. Then the hypnotist
stood erect, took deep, full breath. and
said; Hes all rightnow; come in"
lie turned the doorknob and entered.
WILDLY was living on his side. In the