The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1903-12-16

the luulcS ana tnC Otner guests We're ell
thcr chatting In couples or grouped
about the piano. Mrs. Springthorpe
came and sat beside me.
"Wcll," she asked, "have you found
the owner Of the volccr
The speech was accompanied by
slight peculiar gesture, one of those
little nervous tricks Of manner to which
we are all subject and which so clearly
mark our individuality. In this case
1t supplied me with the missing link Of
evidence and enabled me ut once to re-
ply:
Eyes; 1t hus just occurred to me-"
"Wlpo was itr
"a lady who once called to consult
mo professionally"
"IndcrdT'
Her tone implied desire for further
information, SO I proceeded:
ut was about SIX years ago. was
then struggling young physician.
nursing a feeble practice In n new
ncighborhood. One day lady in q
thick veil called to ask my advice In
regard to her mother, who, she said,
was suffering from heart disease. Then
she described the symptoms. which
were those OF a person in very crit
icnl state. They had been expecting,
she said. the return Of long absent
son and brother who was naval ofll-
Ger, but she had that morning received
the sad intelligence Of the wreck Of his
vessel, with the loss Of all on board.
Some explanation would have to be
made to the mother Of his continued
absence, but could they tell her tho
truth In the state Of her health2
81 replied that such q revelation at
such time would probably be attend
cd Ivy fatal consequences. She left, de-
clnrinS that at whatever cost she would
conceal the truth from her mother"
"And you have never seen her since"
"No; | had quite forgotten tho cir
cumstancc."
"And you would not recognize her II
you met her again."
"As said. her face was concealed by
Il thick veil. | have not the slightest
idea Of her features"
"But the voice was like mineT'
"Ycs."
"You do not think it wns II"
"1Iad 1t been you you would have
rccollcctcd the circumstance"
(which l do not. But there are re.
semblanccs between voices, I suppose.
as there arc sometimes between faces"
81 do not remember ever having
heard Of such case"
"And you aro skcptical on the point2"
81 should have been but for this In
stance"
"fhe coincidence appca"s to mo to be
remarkable, for at first sight 1t seemed
rs though I had met you before. How
DO YOU account for that"
ut Is something I cannot account
for"
"Do you believe that two people who
have never met in tho flesh may meet
and become acquainted In dreamsr'
81 protest" I said. laughing. "You
have me at disadvantage. This Is
theory I never heard before and IN re.
gard to which I am unprepared to Of
fer an opinion. I an curious to hear
more Of It. What do you call itT'
"Ah, doctor, l am xPraid you would
only prove Il scoffer." At this point
she was called away.
That night In the smoking room
Springthorpe and I fingered over our
cigars after tho other guests had re-
tired. | had been thinking over tho
mystery Of that woman with the yelled
face. That she and Mrs. Springthorpe
were the same I had not the slightest
doubt. but rs she evidently feared rec.
ognition ! had been too polite to insist
upon 1t. Why there should be any
mystery about visit to physician
puzzled me.
"Do you know" asked, If Mrs
Sprlngthorpc is liable to any heredi
tary malady"
81 really cannot say" he replied. II
never knew her family"
"Are her parents dead. thenT
Eyes; she has been an orphan since
childhood"
Here | made mental note.
A little Inter I asked:
"1Iavc you any childrenT'
II have an only son by my first wife.
lie IS an officer Of one Of my East In
dia packet ships"
"Was he at homo at tho timo OF his
mothers death?"
"No. but he was hourly expected aft
or three years absence OH a foreign
station. Poor fellow! IIe arrived only
In time to find his mother In her coe-
FIN"
Here 7 made another mental note.
did the first Mrs. Sprlngthorpo die
Of consumptionW
mo; of heart disease"
"llcr end was unexpected, thenf"
mot altogether. She had been oil.
Ing for years, and the doctors warned
us to be prepared for death ut any mo.
ncnt. At the same time they said she
might live for years IL spared excite.