The Clio messenger., 1920-07-29
THAT depends" answered Clinton
a trifie dryly.
CHAPTER w.
The Bear.

The muffied ring OF the doorbell
stirred Amy TO agile activity. She
bent down to thrust her fingertips in
to the side of one tiny slipper.
Must be doctor" she exclaimed.
"Where I'm 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
up! You'd never have looked for 1t
there-now would yOu?"
Magic" he declared. "You'll not
pretend you really had that huge thing
in one of those slppers!"
Her face clouded. "Oh, VIII. for
you to make such a compliment as
that! 1t shows you can't remember
I'm only your sister"
Miss Lowrle." he replied. between
amusement and evaporation, ''if it
were not for you would 90 at once.
This continual insistence that ] am
not"
"But docter-he1l soon cure you!"
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
tightened 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
Doctor Kirkland" said Clinton, stiff
fening
"He was going to run off and leave
us!" announced Mrs. Kirkland.
"Leave?-tonight? queried her hus-
band. He eyed the would-be run
away attentlvely. "It was my under
standing that you agreed to remain IN
Denver until"
Until l 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"
'ExasperatingT
"Yes. Can none of you imagine how
it seems to me? l come to Denver an
absolute stranger to you all"
ooh, Will" sighed Ellen.
Amy, suddenly full of concern, be-
gan stroking his forehead.
"You see" he cried ITO sit here
and let her-and l no more her broth
er than Mr.. Bemml"
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 Clinton's forehead gathered in a
frown. This is no joke" he said. ut
has gone far enough already. Every
one of you seems so deluded that the
| only thing for me TO do is to go on
TO California and not come back here
until l 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-
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 L request you to lis
ten seriously to what l have to say?"
Clinton looked at his watch glanced
around at the tense faces of BENIN
and the ladies, and reluctantly acqui-
esced: Every well, If you do not take
too long, and If Miss Lowrie will kind
ly cease to-will take another seat"
"O-ahw murmured Amy, drawing
away from him, deeply hurt.
Cant you see" he burst out. ITO
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 / know that / am not he;
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 l ask II you have ever studied
abnormal psychology"
"Not studied; though 1 have some
idea"
"Some? Good! If you have even
the slightest idea Of psychopathology
you will know that anyone subject to
amnesia, that Is to say, loss of men,
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 hls
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 hns
forgotten. This amounts to dlssocia.
ton of the personality"
"This medical jargon, sir, is, to say