Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-01

Leland wondered in a mild way why
he had accepted DR.. Andrews invita-
ton to the dance at the sanitarium.
Was he not satiated with ball. soiree
and reception since he began the
search for her face? Had he not
neglected his professional duties and
interests in his pursuit of a beautiful
ign~is-fatus-a dream ~creature; What
would be the omega of it Ill? Would
he find her? was his constant waking
thought. while in his dreams she ever
came. and looking into his eyes, smiled
and beckoned him on over boundless
oceans and limitless p~rairies. Always
the same beautiful face, With smiling
mouth. and dark blue eyes holding a
world of tragic shadows in their depth.
What mattered it that his friends
openly accused him of being taciturn
and morose? He would share the Sc
cret that made and marred his happi-
/. ness with no one. Even had he felt
inclined to be communicative, what
man would believe one dream, and but
one dream visited his sleeping hours.
That the of 4 woman had
become his lode-star-aen integral part
of his life? If this strain continued how
long could be preserve his mental eQui-
poise?
Cod, Had DR.. Andrews suspected
him of being mentally unbalanced? Did
the suspicion not account for the rather
persistent effort on the part of the doctor
toward the renewal of an intimacy of
other days? Perhaps the doctor was
making a study of him in the interests OF
science, The thought induced a sensa-
ton Of siddiness. and dropping on a
divan he closed his eyes.
is no l,fb b.,opj and feared q coiD
her face flashed across his mental vision.
He felt all his faculties to be alert this
time-he was not even asleep. Here was
a departure: perhaps. after all. the doc
tor had diagnosed his case properly. To
the winds With idle speculations and
conjecture. Was she not with him. was
she not for the time his? No evil could
counter-balance that happiness.
He nodded brightly to her, realizing
as he did so the change in her. The
tragic shadows had fled from her blu
eyes: moreover, her entire form was
plainly visible. He noted with all the
appreciation of a lover the Juno-like
figure. clad in white silken Greek drap-
cries; the sunny hair arawn in soft
masses high on the shapcly head; the
dimpled arms, bare to the shoulder;
strong, firm hands. holding a violin
and bow. he even noted that she wore
white satin slippers, and that one foot
rested on an ottoman.
Drawing the bow across the strings
of her violin. the room was filed with
the melody of his childhood's f~avorite
waltz air, M Queen" Looking straight
into his eyes, her whole body leaned to-
ward him in an attitude Of en~dearnent,
She was playing to him alone and for
him alone. He was acuteiy conscious of
"a feeling of proprietorship in the beauti-
full apparition. Her music was now airy
and capricious, full of surprising little
trllls and undertones. Twas the same
sweet fact that had peopled his dreams
for a year its beauty a thousand times
magnified. He felt his senses reel with
the Intoxicating sweetness of the scene
the twang of ii broken string, and he
opened his eyes to four bleak walls.
Unwilling to longer be the prey of
solitude and a horde of unhappy
thoughts and memories, he drew on his
great coat and went out into the brac-
ing night air He Wake briSkiy to-
ward the old Wolsen home, which DR..
Andrews had recently purchased and
furnished as a sanitarium, where he
made a specially of treating insanity.
DR.. Andrews was a deservedly popular
man, and interchangeable in his efforts
to relieht Reasons torch in benighted
brains-hence his experiments in
matinee musicales and dancing parties.
Leland was cordially greeted by the
doctor in the entrance hall, and together
they passed into the dem on the left
as if by mutual consent, the doctor clos
ing the door after him..
Did fellow said the physician. Il
had quite set my heart on your com
ing, and l half feared you would dis
appoint me. l have an irresistible de-
sire to tell you a story in which l figure
a story beVeined With sadness. You hear
the music across the hall, the sound Of
flying feet and happy laughter? Well,
among my guest patients is a young girl,
whose family placed her under my care
to be treated for a very peculiar form
of insanity. l will not burden your
memory with the name science has
given it.
Her peculiar Authorization is the be
lief that in dreams she sees the face
Of the man she is to marry, conse-
quently she absolutely refuses to con-
slider the numerous proposals of mar
riage of suitors highly eligible. Leland,
I've learned to love this girl devotediy;
nay, almost madly! If l am unsuccessful
in removing the dusky cloud that en-
shrouds my darling's intellect and in
winning her love, my life will be but a
mo%notonous round of duties, barren OF
the love that makes mans estate akir
to that of the angels. l will have missed
the connecting link between earth and
heaven.
Il tell you all this before presentine
you to my poor, dear love, believing
and hoping your sympathy may be
come an important factor was
that cry? Go across to the ball room
Leland; I'll follow when I've a~ssisteC
the attendants in quelling the disturb,
ance among the more violent of ny
patients"
Like an ~automaton, Leland crosse
over and stood gazing into the ball
room, his mind in a state of chaos. r
The dining room, with low, broat
windows, was for the occasion con