Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-04-02
CnntinIled

nervous woman THIS strong WllI-pOWef
which you undoubtedly possess, you
have established over her mind and
body such an ascendancy, that what
ever harm you do to yourself reacts
upon her. You have lived lately in a
state of high nervous tension, torn
alternately by brooding anxiety and
by unnatural excitement" Crosmont
tried to interrupt him, with a brutal
and lowering expression of face. But
Armathwaite, still keeping his hand
on his shoulder, and looking down
frankly and steadily into his shifting
eyes, insisted with the authority of a
calm mind over a distracted one
This has affected your own system
your nerves are shattered, your health
is seriously threatened, if not already
broken. By the sympathy your Will
has established between yourself and
your Wife-a chastity sympathy into
which affection and inclination do not
enter-the harm you have done tC
yourself is reflected in her with this
additional result: that being a woman
in whom the intellectual and imagi-
native faculties are exceedingly
strong, and the physical organization
comparatively delicate, it is on the
intellectual side that she is most
seriously threatened.'
Il quite understand. I've got no
mind, so my mind can't suffer My
interesting wife, being all mind and
soul and the rest of it, is in danger of
losing it. 1 thought doctors were all
materialists, and concerned them
selves chiefly with the body"
Look, them said Armathwaite,
turning the sullen and morose man so
that he could survey himself in the
glass of the wardrobe door, at this
body; consider the strength of its
muscles and sinews, the activity and
energy of it's movements, the little
sleep necessary for the carrying on of
its daily work with vigor, even after
a severe and exciting strain; compare
it with the body lying here"
Making two steps back, Anna
thwaite showed the motionless figure
on the bed, with it's waXen face and
nerveless fingers Imply curved The
agent glanced at it and shuddered;
then turned his back and said hoarse-
ly:
Finish your lecture, and-do some
thing"
Then, as there was moments
silence, he faced the doctor again.
moving with heavy tread, as he
asked, abruptly:
Can you do anything?"
But he stopped and stood quite still
as he saw that Armathwaite was
bending to look down intently into
Alma's white face After a few mo-
ments the doctor raised his head, and
met the haggard eyes of the other
man with confidence as he answered:
Il think so, Mr.. Crosmont"
Ned drew a long breath of relief;
then, indicating his wife almost with
out glancing in her direction, he said:
We'll, make her open her eyes
make her speak"
Il want to impose a condition upon
you first
What is it?'
That If | restore Mrs. Crosmont to
consciousness Immediately, you will
put her under my charge until her re-
covery is complete, and in the mean
time give me your word of honor as a
gentleman that you will discontinue
the-the interesting scientific expert
ments to which your wife has so near
ly become victim"
CrosmOnt staggered forward to the
bedside in a clustering and defiant
manner.
Certainly not" he said, in a loud
voice. you have no business tC
make conditions to me- She is my
wife. and my relations with her are
my own affair."
But as he spoke, by restless
movement of his arms he threw anc
eXtlnguished a pair of candles thai
stood on a table at the foot of the
bed and the noise made him start anC
tr2mble nervously. He was in nc
state OF mind or body to exercise his
logged will effectually, and as the
doctor remained stolid and immoy
able, and looked at him with the ex
pressionless imperturbability of
block of wood, he wavered and seemed
to shrink into himself His next words
were spoken in an uncertain voice.
She will wake up in a few minutes
without your assistance"
He fancied he had detected a uuiv
ering of his wife's lips and eyelids
and he bent over her and called he1
name in a low, authoritative tone
Armathwaite meanwhile was making
his way without hurry, but without
hesitation, to the door.
Stop" Numbered Crosmont. in s
voice which made the room ring
though it produced no effect upon his
unconscious wife. Il will promise
you what you like: only wake her
for Heavens sake wake herr"
He was cruel, brutal, but not alto
gether without heart. and the failure
of his latest attempt to rouse hel
woke not only anxiety for his wife
but for himself For who could tel
how this numb sleep would end? The
doctor came back and held out hi:
hand
"You desire me to attend your wife
until she has completely recovered
her normal health, and you pledgt
your word to me you will make NJ
more experiments upon her in tn,
meantime?'
He was holding Crosmont's reluct
yielding as if his own fingers hat