The Ordway new era., 1920-10-29
CHAPTER ~.


bent down to thrust her fingertips In
to the side of one tiny slipper.
Must be doctorl" she exclaimed.
where In the world did that Oh,
there 1t Isl" She Strengthened up,
rosy checked, to flourish the key of
the front door in Clinton's face. "Own
upl You'd never have looked for 1t
there-now would your
"Magicr' he declared. you'll not
pretend you really had that huge thing
in one of those slippersw
Her face clouded. "Oh, VIII, for
you to make such a compliment as
thatl 1t shows you can't remember
I'm only your sister"
Miss Lowrie," he replied. between
amusement and evaporation. "if 1t
were not for you, would go Mt once.
This continual insistence that / am
not"
"But doctor-hell soon cure your
she cried in joyful relief, and she
darted into the hall, calling, ,"Wait,
TillIe, / have the key. I'll let him in"
The lines of Cllnton's firm mouth
frightened. He confronted Doctor
Kirkland, who came hastening in from
the hall with one big plump hand on
Amy's shoulder. The physician waved
his other hand around the room and
ordered genially: "Sit down. Wen
talk this over like sensible people"
''I agreed to remain until you came,
Doctor Kirkland" said Clinton, stiff
fleming.
"He was going to run of and leave
usl" announced Mrs. Kirkland.
'Leave?-tonight7 queried her hus-
band. He eyed the wOuld-be run
away attentlvely. at 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 foresee how exasperating this alb
| surd mistake would become"
"Exasperating"
"Yes. Can none of you imagine how
| 1t seems to me2 i come to Denver an
absolute stranger to you all"
"Oh. WIFI" sighed Ellen.
Amy, suddenly full of concern, be-
gan stroking his forehead.
| "You seer he cried. ITO sit here
| and let her-and / no more her broth
er than Mr. Bemm!"
mo, no." differed BENIN. Miss
| Amy never offered to be sister to me,
I'm glad to say"
In spite of the girls soothing I'm
gers Clinton's forehead gathered in n
frown. "This Is no joke" he said. '1t
has gone far enough already. Every
| nF halunaI
| only thing for me to do Is to go on
to California and not come back here
until have received proofs that must
convince you"
you are sure that you can furnish
| proofs2" asked Doctor Kirkland.
positive"
The physician gravely shook his
head. Complete case of dissocia-
| tion," he observed. Perfect instance
of secondary personality. Ny dear
boy, in the circumstances l 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 l have to sayf"
Clinton looked at his watch, glanced
around at the tense faces of BENIN
esced "yery well, If you do not take
too long. and If Miss Lowrie will kind
ly cease to-will take another seat"
"O-ah" murmured Amy, drawing
away from him. deeply hurt.
Cant you seef' he burst out. "To
let you-most despicable of me-"
''But-but to think that y-you-"
sobbed the girl.
MY dear boy" said Doctor Kirk
land, try to be reasonable. AS
mere question of probability, here are
five of us believing that you are your
self-that is, VIII Lowrie; while you
alone"
But l know that 1 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 l ask If you have ever studied
abnormal psychology"
mot studied; though have some
idea"
"Some7 Goodl II you have even
the slightest idea of psychopathology
you will know that anyone subject to
amnesia, that is to say, loss of mem
ory-"
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 dissocla.
ton of the personality"
"This medical Jargon, sir, is, to say
the least"
"One moment, please. Have you re
Gently met with shock, such as that
of railway collision?"