The Washington herald., 1914-05-10

Der ball between your legs, leaving dis
tinct smears Of blood every time IL
touches the ground. you can scarcely
hope to avoid an accident. Pollock lifted
his feet convuisiveiy to avoid II, and then
kicked at the thing furiously. Then some
thing hit him violently In the back and q
hot pain ran up his arm.
He had been hit by the pole Of an omni-
bus. and three Of the fingers of his left
hand smashed by the hoof Of one Of the
horses-the very fingers. as It happened.
that he shot from the Porroh man. They
pulled him out from between the horses
legs, and found the address Of the physi-
clan In his crushed hand.
For q couple Of days Pollock's sensa-
tions were full of the sweet, pungeut
smell Of chloroform. Of painful operations
that caused him no pain. OF lying sttu
and being given food and drink. Then
he had a slight fever. and was very
thirsty. and his old nightmare came
back. II was only when it returned
that he noticed II had left him for a day.
TT my skull had been smashed instead
of my fingers, 1T might have gone alto
gether." said Pollock. staring thoughtful
ly at the dark cushion that had taken on
for the time the shape Of the head.
+ Pollock at the first opportunity told
the physician Of his mind trouble. He
knew clearly that he must go mad unless
something should intervene to save him.
capitation in Dahomey, and was haunted
by one Of the heads Naturally. he did
not care to state the actual facts. The
physician looked grave.
Presently ne spoke hesitatfnsfy. "As
child. did you get very much religious
training?'
Very little" said Pollock.
A shade passed over the physicians
face. Il don't know II you have heard
OF the miraculous cures-it may be. Of
course, they are not miraculous-at
Lourdes."
Faith healing viii hardly suit me, I
am afraid" said Pollock. with hfs eye on
the dark cushion.
The head distorted its SCARED features
In an abominable grfmace. The physician
went upon a new track. IT'S all imagi-
nation" he said. speaking with sudden
brfskness. "A fair case for faith healing.
anyhow. Your nervous system has run
down. you're in that twilight state Of
health when the bogies come easiest Ths
strong impression was too much for you
must make you up a little mixture that
will strengthen your nervous system
especially your brain. And you must
take exercise"
I'm no good for faith healing" said
Pollock.
And therefore We must restore tone
Go in search Of stimulating air-Scot-
land. Norway, the Alps"
Jericho. II you like said Pollock,
where Naaman went"
However. SO soon as his fingers would
let him. Pollock made a gallant attempt
to follow out the doctors suggestion. It
was now November. He tried football:
but to Pollock the game consisted in
kicking a furious inverted head about a
field. He was no good at the game. He
kicked blindly. with q kind Of horror, and
when they put him back into goal. and
the ball came swooping down upon him.
he suddenly yelled and got out OF its way.
One day early In December his cousin
Arnold-his next of kin-came to see him
and draw him out. and watch his sunken.
yellow face with narrow. eager eyes.
And 1t seemed to Pollock that the hat his
cousin carried In his hand was no hat at
ALL but a Gorgon head that glared at
him upside down and fought with its eyes
against his reason. However. he was
still resolute to see the matter out. He
got bicycle. and, riding>over the frosty
road from Wandsworth to Kingston.
found the thing rolling along at his side
and leaving a dark trail behind II. He
set his teeth and rode faster. Then sud-
denly. as he came down the hill toward
Richmond Park. the apparition rolled in
front of him and under his wheel. so
quickly that he had no time for thought.
and. turning quickly to avoid II. was
flung violently against a heap Of stones
and broke his left wrist.
The end came on Christmas morning.
All night he had been in a fever. the
bandages cncircling his wrist like hand
of fire. his dreams moro vivid ard terri
bic than ever. In the cold. colorless. IN
certain light that came before the sun
rise. he sat up in his bed. and saw the
head upon the bracket in the place OF the
bronze jar that had stood there overnight.
II know that is a bronze Jar" he said.
with a chill doubt at his heart. Presently
the doubt was irresistible. He got out
of bed slowly. shivering. and advanced
to the jar with his hand raised. Surely
he would see now his imagination had do
ceived him. recognize the distinctive
sheen of bronze. At last. after an age OF
hesitation, his fingers came down on the
patterned cheek Of the head. He with
drew them sSastnodically. The last stage
was reached. Mis- sense of touch had be-
trayed him.
Trembling. stumbling against the bed.
kicking against his shoes with his bare
feet. a dark confusion eddying round him.
he CROPPED his way TO the dressing table,
tool; his razor from the drawer. and sat
down on the bed with this in his hand.
In the looking glass he saw his own face,
colorless, haggard, full of ultimate BIT
tcTness of despair.
He beheld in swift succession the Incl
dents in the brief tale Of his experience
His wretched home. his still more
wretched schooldays. the years or vicious
life ne had led since then. one act or sell
fish dishonor leading TO another; It was
all clear and pitilcss now, all its squalid
folly. In the cold light of the dawn. re
came to the hut, to the fight with the
Porroh man. TO the retreat down the
river TO Sulyma. to the Mendi assassin
and his red parcel. to his frantic endcav-
ors to destroy the head. to the growth OF
his hsllucination. 1t was Authorization.
He knew it was. A Authorization merely.
For n moment he snatchcd at hope. He
,zS,,oa AWAY from, the glass. and on the