Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-08-13
CHAPTR lII-CoNTINuEp

men d man Is ABOUT TO be married
he may be pardoned If he is mere OF
less Hustered. But James Cluney, pac.
Ing the sitting room of his handsome
bachelor suit overlooking Central park,
showed a distress hardly compatible
with the inner rapture that should
have possessed him.
Mr.. Cluney was a good looking young
man OF the we'll bred English type, and
he was already dressed for the wed.
ding ceremony which would make him
the husband of Miss Madge Carr, in
the regulation long black coat, white
waistcoat and gray trousers prescribed
for az afternoon function in good so
ciety.
He was talking rapidly and nervous.
ly to a man named Willoughby, a doc.
tor and a close friend Of Cluney's. BE
was to stand beside that gentleman
and give him moral support at his
Forthcoming wedding.
linen you assure me, on your pro-
fesslonal reputation, that it is perfect
~ safe for me to marry?" said James
Quincy.
My dear James," replied DR.. Viii.
loughby, in a semiprofessional tone, 81
repeat, What | have already said, that
your uncle's peculiar alterations can
have no possible effect upon you, and
L tell you this not only as your medical
ADVISER, but as your friend and best
man on this most suspicious OCCASION
The doctor smiled as he said this, but
there was no answering smile from the
prospective bridegroom, who was again
doing his wild beast cakewalk be-
tween the front window and the door
as II he We're racing against time.
Il suppose l shall have to believe
you,' he said finally, but I am all on
edge He picked nervously at an i'm
aginary speck on his faultless coat and
s%huddered. 1.-TWO or three experiences
of this sort and l should be a nervous
wreck"
what are you tuning about?"
My late Uncle James affection
his occasional tendency to tell out
rageous falsehoods and stick to them,
Notwithstanding that sometimes they
caused terrible complications. Sup
pose his dreadful weakness should
suddenly express itself in me?"
"NonsenSe!!
wei. suppose my wife or her par
ents should learn Of my uncle's all.
ment-I believe it was an ailment and
not moral perversity''-
I'm sure Of it." threw in DR.. Will
loughby quietly.
We'll. wouldn't they think that, as
Uncle James was my fathers brother,
l might be subject to the same sort Of
attack? Then they would be sure to
watch me, and the nervous strain of
being under constant surveillance
would bring on the trouble, am
sure"
"Bugaboo!' declared the doctor, with
a shrug. Your uncle's alteration Of
mind, which evinced itself only at
long intervals. was closely guarded,
and hardly any one outside Of the
family ever knew Of it. a nervous
breakdown from overwork brought it
on"
would you keep a skeleton like that
from your future wife,"
Certainly. Why should l worry her
about a thing that might neve hap.
pen? Nervous troubles take various
directions. There's kleptomania, for
instance"
Stealing things?"
Yes; only we doctors don't speak of
it that way. We know the difference
between an uncomfortable impulse
when the mind is slightly out of bal
ance and vulgar. sordid theft"
Tim"
"A ~kleptomaniac nearly always takes
something for which be has no need
or for which be could pay without feel
ing it If he did happen to want it"
"Ah!"
That's kIeptomania."
do the magistrates and juries usual.
~ call it that?"
mo. And believe that sometimes
a person morally innocent. but guilty
in the opinion Of the law. suffers pun
ishment when he should be placed un-
der medical treatment"
"WelI. doctor, I am glad of one thing
that If l have inherited any mental
weakness 1t does not take the direction
Of t~hievery"-
"Kleptomania." corrected DR.. Will
loughby.
"All right. Call it what you like.
But / would rather be a liar than a
thief" He paused. "At least I think
I would. Either of them Is d%etestable."
You are not likely to be troubled to
decide between them, my dear James,"
laughed DR.. Willoughby. in the first
place, an uncle is not like a direct an.
cestor-your father, for example-and
again. it was only when your uncle
gave way under the strain Of over
SvOrk"--