Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-15
THE GILDED MAN
By CLIFFORD SMYTH

is highly developed in him. Under strong
sudden excitement this personality becomes
greatly exaggerated"
He was laboring under no particular ex-
Ctement at the time of his disappearance"
objected Leighton.
What about the mission he on? l
have an idea that it of absorbing i'm
portance to him. Remember. he was
visiting scenes connected with episode
that for some years he has been trying to
forget but which he now wants to revive.
And then, to cap the climax, suddenly he
comes slap bang, right into the midst Of
rabble of poems who would be only too glad
to kill him, or mprison him, or torture him
or anything else unpleasant. The same
crowd tried to get me once. so l know what
it all means"
"All this is true but the excitement was
hardly enough to drown David's normal
personality"
ut all helps, though. 1t predisposes things
1t is. as | look at it, the final stage setting
with all the characters in their places await
Ing the entrance of the villain to finish up
the tragedy. And in this case the villain
entered just at the critical moment. Mr.
Leighton he asked abruptly, have you
ever known David to drink a glass of wine?"
II cant say that | have" he answered
doubtfully.
well. alcoholic stimulus, with certain
temperamcnts-you know what it does It
starts up an altogether abnormal psychology
doesn't it,
Every apt to-"
depends little on the stage setting,
doesn't it? But, even without that it has
its odd effects. ON rare occasions for in
stance, | have known Meudon to take
single drink of liquor. The result has been
similar to that brought on by hypnotIsm"
"Well?"
There's your clew." Raoul announced
triumphantly. You have heard General
Herran's story. He tells US that just before
tl,.k-
toasts together-and the toasts, | fancy
were stronger than mere wine"
You think. then--"
why. it's childishly simple. David was
knocked over by a force, an influence, to
which he is unaccusomed. He is not at all
a drinking man, you understand. Quite the
reverse With him the effect of drink would
not be in the least like ordinary intoxcation
From two former experiences | know that it
would be far subtler. 1t would produce
what you would call a pseudo hypnosis. a
condition of abnormal psychology"
"Well?"
Don't you what happened?"
Il have not had your experience with
David was the sarcastic reply.
1T is not question of mere personal ex-
perienCe." said Raoul rritaby: "it involves
what we know-or guess--of the eccentric
tiles of the human soul"
You are an enthusiast Be more ex-
plicit. Don't wander off in your state
ments."
Very well. I'll put il in the lingo of sci.
cnCe nearly as | can. It appears to me-
then that David by this little exchange of
pistol shots, as you call them. with General
Hcrran. brought into activity a portion Of
his brain that had not, for number Of
Years. intruded itself upon his conscious life
II had literally been sleeping all that time
on the last occasion when it was awake
when, in other words, he under the
sway of this subconsCious ego--he was here
amid the very scenes in which he again finds
himself a moment ago you connected his
first disappearance with the one which has
just taken place on the road from Honda
Well, the Generals pistol as he calls it,
suddenly threw David back into the memory
of that first subconsclous experience"
THE Ghost of the Forgotten found at last"
mused Leighton, more to himself than to
Raoul
Exactly. That's a good way to put it."
Suppose your theory correct what hap
pened after David's subconscious memory
was awakened"
''As a psychologist you are better able to
answer that than l."
Il am not interested in abstruse problems
just now. am here simply to find David"
Difficult, perhaps l couldn't find him
before. But at least l have given you the
clew."
Your clew doesn't explain, I don't know
what to do with it,
"A restatement of my theory may clear
things up. Through a combination of GER
tain circumstances, eXerting upon him pc
culiar influence, David is living again in an
environment and through a set of experiences
that belong to him only when he is in what
we call a condition of secondary personality
Discover that environment--the same | be-
lieve. as the one in which he was lost three
years ago-and you will discover David"
Leighton made no comment. He regarded
Raoul with characteristic immobility. One