The Detroit times., 1912-08-08
PHIuPSTEELE
MISUNDERSTANDING
kJANES Oliver CURwOoD
Author Of lheDsnsr Inil, DheilnOroftheb Sowsds
~ c.pyrisht i,ii TAs BssA. M.nin c.-sAaH

4
ter acquainted with his home city
than himself. and that he knew many
| peop G whom he knew, and lived In a
fashionable quarter. He was puzzled
even as they talked and laughed and
smoacG their cigarettes and pipes.
The doctor said nothing about him
self or his personal affairs, and clev-
erly changed the conversation when
ever il threatened to drift In that
direction
IL WIS late when Phillip rose from
his chair suggesting that they go TO
bed. lie laughed frankly across into
the others face.
n--Boffin--Boffin," he mused
| Strange I've never heard OF you
dowi south. Doctor. Now what the
deuce can you be doing up here?"
There was point blank challenge
in his egcs. The doctor leaned a lit
tie toward him. as IL about 10 speak,
but caught himself. For several mo-
ments MS keen eyes gazed squarely
into Philips, 'and when he broke the
silence the same nervous flush that
Philip had noticed before rose into
his cheeks.
Il hrow your father" he said at
last, In low, restrained voice. II
know him well. and OF course read
what the papers said when you broke
away from society TO go roughing II
down IN South America. believe
you're honest-on the square"
Pniiip stared at him in amazement.
If / uldn't," he went on. rubbing
again over the stove, I'D follow your
sugg. s;ion, and go TO bed. AS il is
I'm going 10 tell you why I'm up
here, on your word OF honor to main
tain secrecy, I've got selfish end in
view, FOL you may be able to assist
me. but nothing must 90 beyond
yourself What do you say to the con-
dition?r
.. VIII not break your confidence
unless you have murdered some one"
laughed Philip STOPPING to light a
fresh pipe. In that event you'd bet
ter Keep quiet. as Id have 10 haul you
back TO headquarters"
He diu not see the deepening OF
the iush in the others face.
Coed" said the doctor. "Sit down.
Steele. / take IL for granted that you
will Delp me-if you can. First
namo Is not Boffin. but McGill-Dud.
ley McGlll. professor OF neurology
| and dis cases of the brain"
Phiiip almost dropped his pipe.
Great Scott, and II was you who
wrote He stopped, staring In
amazeibent
Yes, It was | who wrote Freda. II
that's what you refer to-" finished the
4 1nrf(,r nA 10
as yod may know, and nearly got me
ousteG from the college. But 1t sold
up TO two hundred thousand copies,
so Ii wasn't bad turn" he added.
1T was published while ] was
Rio JapcHo, and IL haunted me for
weeks after read It. Great Heaven,
you can't believe"
II GiG," interrupted the doctor
sharply Il believed everything that
| j wrotC--and more IL was my theory
OF lle." He sprang from his chair
and Le3aD walking back and forth in
his quick excited way. The flush had
gone iiom his face now and was re-
lriaeed Dy a strange paleness His
| lips we're tense. the fingers OF his
hands lightly clenched. his voice was
lqulSA, SHdI -, lllCiblNS With Hc BpOht.
1t Was my theory of life he re-
peated almost fiercely, land that is
| the beginning OF why | am up here.
My theory was that there existed no
such iDihg as the divine spark of
love LCtwecn men and women not
related by blood, no reaching out or
one soul for another-no faith, no
purity, no union between man and
woman but that could be broken by
| low passions. My theory was that
man and woman were but machines.
Iaand inat passion, and not the love
which We droam and read OF, united
! these machines; and that every ma
chine, whether IL was man or a wo-
man, could be broken and destroyed
! in a moral sense by some other ma
chine of the opposite sex-if condi-
tions were right. Do you understand
me? My theory was destructive OF
homes. Of happiness, OF moral purity
It was bad. ! argued my point in
medical journals, and wrote a book
based OH II. But | lacked proof, the
actral proof OF experience. So / set
out to experiment.
He secrned 10 have forgotten now
that Piilip was in the room, and
went on bitterly, as II arraigning him.
self for something which he had not
yet disclosed.
Continued,