The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1898-03-17

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The young man rose FROM the table
at which he was writing. and shook
hands with his friend. lie was pale.
thin and nervous. His eyes were sunk
en-. his hair and dress untidy.
still mp here in your new quarters"
said the colonel. sweeping the rather
small room with a glance. II thought
you'd move back 10 your old room"
WILDLY s~huddered. II don't care 10
sleep there; 10y Jove. / don't believe ]
could close my eyes"
The two men had taken seats oppo-
site each other. and the lawyer empha-
sized his mex remark by laying his
hand firmly on Whidby's knee. My
boy. this will never do. You'd never
make a soldier. You've got to rouse
yourself and shake IL off. You'll lose
your reason II you go brooding over
this thing. To tell the truth, you are
looking worse and worse every day.
Did you sleep last night?'
About two hours. all told" replied
WILDLY. 81 know I am In bad shape. |
can see IL and feel it."
look here, my boy" the colonel
slapped Whidby's knee soundly, II
want you 10 pull up and take a trip TO
Europe. 1t will give you a change of
scene and something else to think
about. You1l be a new man in n
month";"
WILDLY rose and began 10 place his
papers i'm order on the table. I'D never
be able to think of anything else. no
matter where / was; and then il would
be like running away; by Jove. it would
be running away. l am sure that I've
done wrong in keeping back that matter
from Hendricks. It's cowardly."
You could tell them nothing tina,
would help them. and il would only
place you under deeper suspicion the
lawyer replied.
My God! I'd just as soon be in o
prison cell as here under the awful un'
certainty as to whether ] did il or not
what did you say? What do you
mean?"
WILDLY walked slowly from the table
and laid his hand on his friends shoul
der.
81 am afraid | had something to dc
with the murder. l can't figure it GU
any other way. The blood on the cur
tain; the stain you found on the chair
my dim recollection of taking hold o.
the chair, the drop OF blood on my cuff
why. my hand-it was the right hand
you know-must have been absolu.el,
wet with IT,"
Are you fool enough to think yol
could have killed a man in your sleel
without being conscious of the act? BE
sides, remember the smile on Strong
face: you're obliged TO admit"
That's exactly what puts me on thi
line" WILDLY interrupted. ~ notice,
in a New York paper an interview witt
DR.. Henry Lampkin. the famous hyp
motto expert. in which he said casual,
that from what be read of the case h
Judged that my uncle was hypnotize'
by the murderer. Well. Warrenton.
am sure If ! were TO tell him what oc
Cured to me that night he would sa,
that ! was also hypnotized-that-peI
haps-I was made to do the deed 70
some one else. Such things have bee
done. Old man. that is what is trou
bling me. 1t is awful"
There was silence for a moment; the
the colonel said:
I'll tell you what | would do. ALFRED
/ don't think you could have beer IN
der any influence that night; but il yo
are going to brood over the matter thi
way till you are insane, | propose tina
we have DR.. Lampkin to come dow
here and give us his opinion. He is sal
to be a wonderful man, and he may, a
all events. give you some peace of mine
He is said to be making marvellous cure
among Incorporate people. and chi
dren naturally oeprayed. through wha
he calls hypnotic suggestion. Fror
what hear of him / believe he can b
trusted even in such a delicate matter a
this"
Whidby's face frightened. That
just what | want" he said. "Anythin
is better than suspense. He may b
able to tell me whether | actually di
the deed. II he can assure me that
was not my hand that held the knit
he is welcome to every dollar of IN
uncle's estate"
) 'OlE he won't break us; his prices al
not high; he does a great deal for no pa
at all. But ! shall write him at ono
and report TO you as soon as his repl
comes. | believe hypnotism is a wonde
full thing. but something tells me tina
it could not be carried TO the extent yo
fear. Besides. you may not have bee
hypnotized at all; you may have bee
slightly disturbed by the fellows NOV
mcnts in Strong's room. and got up ha
awake and g~one-after the murder
his bed TO reassure yourself. II ma
have been then that you got your rant
! in the blood without knowing it,"
"Ah, you give me the first bit of hoI
l | have bad" cried WILDLY. Write
r him at once. | wish he were hel
! now
l IN get him as soon as he can come
the colonel promised, aud he rose to g
T At the door he turned back.
I Il am trying to work up a little Gle
for myself" he said. Fl am fond of tn
sort of thing. I'D give anything 10 bel
A., this expert detective and run our man
, the ground without consulting hin
: by the way, you and | might try
e think of some motive for the crime. III
Others are doubtless losing valuab
time in suspecting you. Now, do yc
|. happen to remember IL your uncle ev'
: had an enemy"
Not that know Of" WhidI