Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-11

,
I don't want to take advantage of you
I'm sorry, but I'll have to confess that
don't know who you are"
She drew back instinctively. as from a
blow: then looked wonderingly at him.
you mean?" The tears had come into her
eyes again. They filled. and drop
coursed down the petal-like bloom of her
cheek
II don't remember you.' he said.
She sprang up wildly. and looked about
as If she thought him delirious and sought
to summon assistance.
please come back he said. ITS
very nice to have you SO near me- Come
and III try to tell you about It, Don't be
frightened. I'm quite sane" -,
Harry" she breathed, and she knelt
again slowly. took his hand fondly and
watched him with fearful eyes. Her
breath came deeply through her pallid
lips.
Poor little girl" he said He patted
her hand softly He had not once taken
his eyes from her. nor she hers from his;
but. as he .gazed. he shook his head hope
lessly.
why do you talk like this. Harry?
They said you were almost well. Aren't
you glad to see me? Didn't you want to
see me? Have 1 done wrong to Gomez
She held his hand tight in hers. waiting
avidly.
He looked away and sighed. but did not
release her hand. You were quite right
to come, he said. II need you very
much. But you must have patience with
me-"
She nestled closer to him and waited.
still timfd. seemingly afraid of some ter
rible news, but brave to bear it for him.
Tell me what is the matter, Harry! I
can bear anything-if you love me. You
do love me. don't your
His look returned to her and stayed on
her face as he said. slowly, Il don't
know.
She buried her face In her hands, and
gust Of sobs shook her body. His hand
sought he's and carried IT to his lips.
"Just " 1t till EXPLAIN he said gen.
thy. Don't feel so badly. 1t may come
out all right. perhaps. You must listen,
first of ALL
She dashed away the tears and looked
at him steadfastly. "Oh. 1 can't believe
it, she cried.
can-but l must be honest with you." he
said. It's only-Ive lost my memory"
She repeated it: Lost your memory?
But how"
happened to me before l came here, a
week ago. And now do you see? You
must help me. When l look at you and
think how that other T. would suffer. or
perhaps is suffering. it's dreadful. Ev-
erything that happened before my acct
dent is gone. DIR. Macintosh sent for
you in hopes that you might restore my
memory to me-.
The strain on her face relaxed, and
she clasped him in her arms, as a mother
might her child. "Oh, Harry! Is that
all? Oh. 1 can do that; 1 know I can!
But you must remember what we were
to each other-surely you de-
1T is just as If saw you now for the
first time he answered. You are very
beautiful and very dear already. Oh, I
shall fall in love with you again. anyway.
I'm sure. But L don't remember ever
having seen you before.
She stared at him as II she could not
believe 1t. But what else has gone?
Surely you are you-or have you changed
all over? Is 1T one of those awful cases
of dual identity? Eve read Of them. but
they always seemed like fairy tales. I
never could quite believe Them
He smiled at her eagerness. her in
credulity. mo. the doctor says I'm the
same person, with the same character and
the same mental equipment, except for
my memory of events. I have possession
Of all have ever learned, the results Of all
my experience, so to speak, with no MEM
DRY whatever of the processes by which
my experience was acquired. Do you UNI
derstand? 1 can think logically enough.
you see The line of cleavage in my con-
seriousness is as irregular as the coast line
of a map. I'm a, full-grown man. with a
mans intellect, but with no more .past
than baby. I'm in the dark, fighting to
get out"
"Oh, it's too horrible" she exclaimed.
II can't believe 1t. You must be deliri-
GUS"
He shook his head quite calmly. mo,
my pulse and temperature are both nor
NAL. I'm weak. of course, and must lie
abed for while: but the fever's gone and
I'm practically we'll"
But what does he say-when will you
recover your memory
HE doesn't know Nobody can know.
That's why you're hereto help me find
it,
She was aroused again as if by an cleo
trio thrill and her face fired with enthu-
siasm Il will; / will! Surely if you
could remember anybody it would be me,
wouldn't it,?
why? You forget that don't know
even yet who you are
She stared at him now with new ex-
preston, as If. for the first time. she real
lied his condition. You don't know
gasped.
Nothing. It's dreadful to say it,
know; but We are strangers. You're
charming. you're exquisite. you're ador-
able. but l simply do not recognize you.
You must try to forgive me-
1t was her turn to regard him for
long time without speaking. Then, with
sigh, She dropped down to sit on the
floor. abjectly, her eyes fixed straight