The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-08-20
CHAPTER ~.
The Bear.


The muffied ring OF the doorbell
stirred Amy to agile activity She
bent down to thrust her fngertips in
to the side of one tiny slipper.
Must be doctor y 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 IT
there--now would you?"
''Magicw he declared. you'll not
pretend you really had that huge thing
in one of those slippers!"
Her face clouded. "Oh, WIN. for
you to make such compliment as
that 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 60 at once.
This continual insistence that / am
not"
But doctor-he'Ii soon cure YOU 2"
she cried in joyful relief and she
darted into the hall, calling, wait,
fillie, | have the key. I'll let him in"
The lines of Cllnton's firm mouth
frightened. He confronted Doctor
Kirkland, who came fastening 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"
Il agreed to remain until you came,
Doctor Kirkland" said Clinton. stiff
fleming.
HE was going to run off and leave
us" announced Mrs. Kirkland.
"Leave?-tonightT" queried her hus
hand. He eyed the would-be run
away attentively. 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 l agreed to that i. did
not foresee how exasperating this alb
surd mistake would become"
"EXasperating"
Yes. Can none of you imagine how
1t seems to me2 come to Denver an
absolute stranger to you all" -
"Oh, Willp 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 fin
gers Cllnton's forehead gathered In a
frown. This Is no joke" he said. st
has gone far enough already. Every
one of you seems so deluded that the
only thing for me to do is to go on
20 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" r.
The physician gravely shook his
head. Complete case of dissocia-
tion," he observed. Perfect instance
OF secondary personality. My 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 have to sayT"
Clinton looked at his watch, glanced
around at the tense faces of BENIN
and the ladies', and reluctantly acqui-
esced: Very well, IL you do not take
too long, and If Miss Lowrie will kind
ly cease to-will take another seat"
"o-ahF murmured Amy, drawing
away from him, deeply hurt
Cant you seer" he burst out. "To
let you-most despicable of met!
"But-but to think that y-you-w
sobbed the girl.
MY dear boy" said Doctor Kirk
land, TRY to be reasonable. As a
mere question of probability, here are
five of us believing that you are your
self'-that is, VIII Lowrle; while YOU
| alone"
But l know that am not he; l
know l 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 II you have ever studied
abnormal psychologist"
Not studied; though have some
| idea"
"Some2 Good! If you have even
the slightest idea of psychopathology
you will know that anyone subject to
amnesta, that is to say, loss of mem.
Dry"
My memory, sir, is excellent,
"oh, Win," reproached Ellen. "You
say that when you do not even"
Leave him to me, daughter" inter.
posed the physician, and he fixed ~,
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 dlssocia.
tion of the personality"