The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-09-24
BLUE DOOR
h Rachel Mack NeA s"tahe
g 1913. NEA Service, Inc.

climbed, but clear as a bell the night
of the meeting"
Ruth exclaimed, What a cruel
set of circumstances"
And worse to follow, my un-
known little friend. They put me
/ in one of those private sanitariumS
where rich persons are permitted to
bury undesirable relatives. A doc
| tor used to come to me every day
fol long talks-a psychiatrist, hired
by my brother in-law, the impec-
cable Mr.. Deal.
by every implication known to
man this paid fiend tried to teach
me to consider myself insane. BY
suggestion. BY persistent ham
mering. BY God-knows-what per-
verted use of psycho-analysis. I
grew to dread and loathe him. My
mind sickened under his tutelage
while the jungle fever I'd contracted
was neglected. Eventually, my child,
I tried to kill him"
ITO kill HIM" cried Ruth in
horror.
Quite so, BY the simple process
of Selling his throat. After that it
was not hard for them to have me
declared dangerously insane and
locked away. 1 supposed that had
killed the creature. That's why l
never tried legal means of winning
my freedom. Bertha Gibbs tells me
my victim lay at the point Of death
for weeks, and then recovered.
However, that's a mere technicality.
I meant to kill him, so it's one and
the same
NO" Ruth said, cts not the
same I think it means you can
be free il you prove your sanity"
Perhaps" said Duncan Hunter
with a Shrug. But, you see, find
myself not greatly interested. While
I was in that place the consuming
purpose of my life was to escape.
Well, 1 escaped. Perhaps that was
all I was living for. After I'd at
tanned the safety of these walls a
lethargy came over me. Of what
use is this life that I've snatched
from confinement? Even if I'm per-
mitted to live out my days unbound
ed, who is there to care except old
Bertha Gibbs?"
"THERE'S no one to care what
l. becomes of me either" Ruth
stated. But life's worth living,
! lust the same. I'm going to see
it through. Somewhere there must
be happiness for me-or why else
did God make me? Tomorrow I'm
going out against the world again
and see what's in it for me-"
But suppose you'd lost the love
of your life" suggested Duncan
Hunter. Would you still think the
game worth the candle?"
"I have lost the love of my life, ="
replied Ruth simply. MY hearts
as bruised as if sticks had beat it.
But life's still worth living. Time
will give me something else for what
I've lost"
"The optimism of YOUTH" the
man answered with shrug. When
you have youth you have every
thing"
You have a few things yourself, "
Ruth reminded him. you're not
old yet. You look reasonably
healthy. You've good looks-oh yes,
you have, really" (This in response
to a protest from him. you've a
fine education. You've inherited
good blood social position and
money. You've a good mind"
"You think 1 have a good mind?"
he asked eagerly.
How could any one doubt it?"
Ruth replied, quite honestly.
He said, with a shake of his head
and a bitter look, That's what I've
been afraid Of. That people will
suspect and avoid me even if I'm
proven sane. I've an unsavory past,
! you know"
Ruth faced this thoughtfully. She
must not encourage him with idle
words If she was to help this man
it must be honestly done. She said
then, That's where the fight will
come. Have you any real friends
here?"
"A hundred of them, believe"
Then stay here" Ruth urged. II
think you'd find peace. Take over
the old house and make it live
again. There's your library, your
garden"
tic Be COntinued)