Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-02-19
CHAPTER THREE
The Haunted Woman.
|. cATEcHlsM.

There was an interlude Of which
she retained no memory more than a
confused impression of time of
stress and conflict, of struggling with
all her might to hold fast to reason.
sustained throughout, 1t may be saved,
by sense of Philips sympathy and
strength
A crisis was reached and PASSED
Growing more calm--or rather more
numb than Priscilla found her
self In a roomy armchair with serl-
ous-faced Philip Fosdiek seated
squarely In front Of her, holding her
two hands in grasp so compelling
that II narrowly escaped being pain
full, and talking steadily In even. per-
suasive accents, infinitely soothing
and heartening.
'Therel' He was alert to the first
Indication on returning self-control.
"You're better already"
"Have been silly, Philip2' She
essayed IN apologize smile, olsen
gazing her hand to make instructive
dabs at her hair. "HystericalT
mot a bit. You're not that sort.
You had a shock. enough to stagger
anybody. but you've reacted famously,
and now all you need do is sit tight
and consider this thing cooly and
sensihly."
"But how can n" Look and ges-
ture were once more distracted. "Why,
don't even know whether I'm my
self or where am"
"You do; you know you're right
here, In your own studio"
"How can I he sure2 thought
was, last night, but 1t seems wasn't
II was, heaven knows how far away,
in that dreadful place. when that hap
pened--not here at all /"
Rubbish: you were here asleep.
here where you woke up. You mere
ly dreamed you were elsewhere-with
what psychic provocation remains to
be seen. There's an explanation, a
perfectly simple and natural one. for
everything, and 1t can be got at II
only we 20 after 1t In the right way.
Which is precisely what we're going
TO do, YOU and T."
Words and manner carried a meas
ure OF conviction. THANK you.
Philip" she said. "T'm trying to he
lieve. but you don't know how hard
1t is"
That's where you're wrong: I do
know. understand perfectly. On the
other hand know there's nothing
unnatural In nature. there can't be.
and therefore we can't fail to solve
this problem except through your lack
of faith In me. If you'll trust me, help
me all you can. be absolutely frank"
"I'll do my best OF course.
I've got to: I'll never have a minutes
peace till know the truth. Ask me
ANYTHING you like, and I'll tell you the
truth If know It,"
'I'm sure You will"
.But. Philip; tell me one thing
first" She faltered and looked
uneasily aside. "You don't {.
you don't think I'm-wrong any way
mentally. ! mean?'
Fosdck laughed with calculation,
laugh that secuted the suggestion and
at the same time was indulgent.
absolutely not. You've got tho
rightest mind know. Bur you're
anything buh obvious, CHA, you're as
complex personality as any I've ever
known. You're strongly intultive-or
piore or less what we term psychic
sympathetic. impressionable, suscepti-
BILE to influences that work on you
without your knowledge. Whatever
1t is, the truth is known to your sub
conscious self, and that is bound to
tell us, soon or late"
sBut how. Phillip
Fnr the first time since he had
show her the newspaper Priscilla's
tone anu manner were unaffected by
mental strain. Fosdick suppressed a
klimmer OF satisfaction, seeing he had
succeeded In so interesting her that
shs WIS less sensible OF what rightly