Rock Island Argus., 1906-08-07
DAILY STORY
TEN MPTED.

her later life. Her husband and her
child were strangers to her. 1t was
recommended TO her husband TO place
her in n sanitarium where she would
be treated for her defect. She was
taken to n retreat IN the country and
placed under the care of DR.. Downing
Bowers, a specialist in such cases.
Mrs. Gurney was a beautiful woman,
and there was nothing in the impair
ment of her memory to detract from
her mental or physical charms. DIR.
Bowers was bachelor. He had con-
stant access to her, and day by day,
month by month, he felt himself yield
ing to fascination for her which was
Irresistible. Then the possibilities of
the situation occurred to him. The
woman he loved did not know that she
was married. AS her physician, he
had great power over her.
At first this was a mere fash in his
brain Then there were times when it
would obtrude itself upon him as
temptation. Finally when his love be-
came great power. absorbing his
whole soul, he resolved to put his plan
into practice. His patient had been
told that she was wife and Il mother.
He gave her to understand that cure
could be best effected by travel. He
would leave his practice and take her
away with him.
The spark of love for her physician
had not entered Mrs. Gurney's breast.
But she was delighted at the prospect
of being released from her confinement
and seeing the world. She believed
him when he told her that he was her
husband. but since a new marriage
would satisfy any misgivings she
might have in the matter she proposed
that the nuptial knot be tied again.
Perhaps there was something in the
doctors evident conflicting emotions
that induced her to decline his PROPOSE
ton without taking this precaution.
The doctor consented, but it was
some time before he began to make
preparations for wedding and their
departure. He shrank from the crime
he was about to commit. But Satan,
though he permits us to pause in GRIM
inal intent, sharply watches us to see
that we do not forsake it. The doctor
finally began to make certain prepara-
Zant From these he haltingly took up
others till at last he had everything i'll
readiness to secretly steal away with
the woman he coveted.
One morning when he visited his pa
tient he found her highly excited.
"Oh. dOctorr' she exclaimed Last
night l went to bed with a headache
and dreamed all night. 1 dreamed of
our little boy. 1t seemed that he had
been familiar to me from his birth. |
remember him now. and can see his
face plainly in my minds eye.
dreamed of you, his father; but your
features were not the same. They were
some one had long loved. oh, doctor,
what does it mean? Am l getting
worse or better?''
The doctor was visibly agitated. He
put his hand on her wrist-from force
of habit or TO gain time to compose him
self-then said:
Il think your recovery is near"
Then bring me my boy. 1 must see
him at once"
For some time the physician did not
reply. He was trembling.
Yes" he said at last. Il think it
VIII iDt SALT lOI Ntu w StC ilili. w III
send for him."
Imprnting n kiss on her cheek,
he had never done before.
he left the room.
All that day the patient chafed in
her room. waiting for the boy who had
been restored to her memory and
thinking of the face of the man she
had seen in her dream. She sent for
DR. Bowers, but was told that he had
driven away, leaving word that he
was going TO see patient at dis
tance and would be long gone. Night
came. and he did not return. 1t was
during the next morning that car
riage drove up to the house, and In
few minutes the door to Mrs. Gurney's
room opened, and the man and boy of
her dream stood before her.
''Mammar
The woman to whom memory was
slowly returning saw a vision of a
child she indistinctly remembered with
rea Weakening love flying toward her,
his eyes wild with delight, his blond
locks dancing over his shoulders, his
whole body alive with motion. He
few into her arms and, clasping his
own about her neck, covered her face
with kisses.
And who is the tall man looking at |
his childish ebullition eagerly, between
hope and fear? Memory struggles for
a moment like n bird endeavoring to
escape from a cage, then one word
sets it free.
Alice"
She starts up. wondering, fearing. |
The poison instilled by her physician |
troubles. retards, her returning mem |
Dry. She had not doubted that he was |
her husband but this man she dimly |
as such. Stepping for |
ward, he took her, a dazed expression |