The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-07-28
TIE WOMAN
With the EYES

ana ner sorrow. FernapS she may
marry again, and the man of her
choice will be happy Perhaps right
ly so-who shall say?
Where she came from nobody
knew. 1t was said Derrick met her at
a summer resort, and that was all
anyone seemed TO know about her He
married her for her beauty; she mar
red him for his money and social
position. | suppose both thoroughly
| understood the terms Of the contract
He admired her much as he might
have admired a fine horse, and he
was proud to claim her as his own.
She didn't actually hate him-he was
an unfortunate encumbrance OF Wealth
and social position. But she bore hi,n
no love.
Perhaps the last straw that bro'H
down her endurance was when Dor
rick came home drunk from some clh5
meeting Derrick was not drinking
man, and this was an exception2l
case Perhaps he had been drinking
too many toasts to his young vile
But it was an offense against geo
form--the only thing she cared about
now. When Derrick ceased to be a
gentleman the last link broke.
My dear" he began, and then he
stopped short. for he had caught her
glance. She had peculiar eyes some
times-hard, cold, penetrating eyes
gimlet eyes an irreverent youth had
once called them. Derrick seemed to
shrink up within himself beneath her
gaze. Half drunk as he was, he
seemed in some way fascinated-'l'ke
as If he'd been mesmerized,' said
Mrs Dorrick's maid under her breath;
she had been to see a professional
hypnotist who had been performing
at one of the music halls few weeks
before. Mrs. Derrick overheard the
remark. and it set her thinking,
The suggestion Of mesmerism broke
in upon her like a revelation; perhaps
she had found the key TO freedom. She
had heard of this marvellous force that
science but dimly comprehends, and
she was prepared to believe wonders
of II. Forthwith she set about study
ing It. Little by little, as she mastered
the subject, she came to understand
how complete is the control exercised
by the mesmerist over his subjects
and found that she herself possessed
marked powers Of fascination. Then
she began to try experiments with
her husband She had no definite end
in view. She wanted to gain such
mastery over him as to make him en-
tirely subservient to her will. Then
she would no longer he CALLED by the
sense that she was part OF his prop
erty.
In month she succeeded The out
ward world saw no change in Derrick
or his households; but in the privacy
of his home he was different man,
A single glance from his wife bereft
him of will power, almost OF conscious
ness. He was no longer a living, think
ing man, but an automaton, perform
ing her will blindly, and without the
power of retaining even shadow
Of remembrance if she willed he
should forget She was far 100 clever
to let outsiders see this-even the
servants never suspected 1t. She
herself hardly knew how farreaching
was her strange power. But she had
gained her point.
She began tentatively. Derrick de-
veloped a habit of dressing little
too lightly for the season Of the year.
and caught cold several times. His
wife scolded him for his carelessness,
but to no purpose. Little by little he
became more careless. He neglected
to see a doctor, after catching very
severe cold, though he had been in
the habit of taking the utmost care
of his health. Again his wife scOlded
him. and sent for the doctor herself.
Derrick recovered slowly, but the eff
fects of a severe chill had left him
weaker. Then he committed the
GROWING imprudence of taking a cold
bath in the middle Of January and neg
lecting TO dry himself thoroughly. Mrs.
Derrick scoded again. and again sum
moned the doctor The doctor was
angry. and took Derrick to task sharp
~ for his carelessness. It's simple
suicide" he said, simple suicide,"
Anu ne III ill tA'i'llo ibl WI y l'PI I'm
and drove away.
He was right; he could do no good
Derrick had thrown away his life. In
about a week he fell victim to pneu
monia. and Mrs Derrick was free.
Mrs Derrick. the bride Of scarce six
months. mourned deeply for her hus-
band. and inherited his wealth Per
haps there was Just little genuine
ness in her sorrow {. tinge OF remorse
no more As | said, to-day she is
leader in society by right of her late
husbands name and wealth. her youth
her beauty. and her sorrow. Perhaps
she may marry again: this time she
will not sell herself-she will not need
TO. And the man of her choice will
be accounted happy. for no one knows
of her terrible gift Perhaps. too.
rightly so accounted. Who shall say?