Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1920-11-13

,,,btop.d He confronted Doctor
Kirttond who came Fastening in from
tho hail with one big plump hand on
Amv's shoulder. The physician waved
hi. other hand around the room and
ordered cenialIy: "Sit down. Wen
taIk this over like sensible people"
az agreed TO remain until you came
Doctor Kirkland" said Clinton. stiff
| fleming.
"Ua was going to run of and leave
us,r announced Mrs, Kirkland.
"I eove?-tonight?" quened her bus.
/ hand. He eyed the w0ald-be run.
away attcntivcly 1T was my under.
standing that you agreed to remain n
Denver until
Until | had sent on for proofs to
convince YOU Of my Identity" broke in
Clinton. when | agreed to that | did
not forcsec how cxasperating this ab.
surd mistake would become"
"ExasperatingE
yves. Can none of you Imagine how
If seems 10 me? come to Denver an
absolute stranger to you all"
"Oh. VIII" sighed Ellen.
Amy. suddenly full of concern, be-
gan strOking his forehead
You see" he cried. ITO sit here
and let hcr-and no more her broth
er than Mr.. Remm,"
NO, no." differed BENIN. Miss
Amy never offered TO be a sister to me,
I'm glad to say"
In spite of the girls soothing fin
gers Clntons forehead gathered in a
frown. This is no joke" he said. ut
has gone far enough already. Every
one Of you seems 50 deluded that the
| only thing for me to do is TO go on
10 California and not come back here
until have received proofs that must
convince YOU
You are sure that you can furnish
proofs?" asked Doctor Kirkland.
"Positive.'
The physician gravely shook his
head. Complete case of diSSocia-
ton" he observed. Perfect instance
of secondary personality. My dear
boy, in the circumstances | cannot ex-
pect you to believe me. We must all
seem, as you think, absolute strangers
to you. Yet may request you to lis
ten seriously to what have to sayf"
Clinton looked at his watch, glanced
around at the tense faces of BENIN
and the ladies, and reluctantly acqui-
esced: Every well, il you do not take
too long, and if Miss Lowrie will kind
ly cease to-will take another seat"
"o-ahI" murmured Amy, drawing
away from him, deeply hurt
Cant you seer" he burst out. ITO
let you-most despicable of mep
"But-but to think that y-you-p'
sobbed the girl.
my dear boy" said Doctor Kirk
land, try TO be reasonable. AS q
mere question of probability. here are
five of us believing that you are your
self-that is, VIII Lowrie; while you
alone"
But | know that | am not he;
know am Richard Clinton"
You mean you believe you know
You are not conscious Of being other
than what and who you think you are
May ! ask if you have ever studied
abnormal psychologist
Not studied; though l have some
idea"
Some? Goodl If you have even
the slightest idea of psychopathOlogy
you will know that anyone subject to
amnesia, that is to say, loss of mem.
Dry"
MY memory, sir, is excellent"
"Oh, WILL" reprOached Ellen. You
say that when you do not even"
Leave him TO me, daughter" inter.
posed the physician, and he fixed his
shrewd gaze on ClintOn's angry face
MY dear boy, in many cases Of am.
nesia the patient not only forgets his
past life but also forgets that he has
forgotten. This amounts to dissocia
ton Of the personality"
This medical jargOn, sir, Is. to say
the least"
Zone moment, please. Have you re-
Gently met with a shock, such as tina,
of a railway collisionf"
81 was in q motoring accident. But
that was more than a year ago"
"Over a year ago." echoed Amy
what Adjudication"
Please do not interrupt" admon-
ished Doctor Kirkland. He nodded
gravely to Clinton. More than q year
ago, you say? Was it severe acci.
dent?"
"Only to the car. was merely
stunned"
Knocked unconscious! HIM! That
and the preceding pSychOpathic cOndi.
tions-quite in line with the other
cases reported"
Doctor Kirkland" impatiently re-
torted Clinton. certain as | am of my
present sanity, much more Of this sol
emn twaddle will drive me mad"
mo, you need have no fear of that
Only you must be calm and reason
able. You will understand how condi-
tons such as yours develop If you will
kindly permit me TO explain about the
pecullarities of amnesia-the peculiar
results of the loss of the time mem