THE WILMINGTON DISPAXCHSUND AY: MDRNINQ IDECEMBER 2 - 1917v
PAGE ELEVEN
ARTHUR B; RHEVE
19 lli. II II 7. El .'--,-.- II .1 flMI: H ' II I11V n - Mk II II II II II B II .-. m i . .- fF" . SI, " Mt . IHV 5. . El . t . M : M:'-H-. ,"' -k-;J 1 i-. '. 1 IT ' II .at: mm i '
(Copyright, 1917; by the McCIuiff Nelreram
Syndicate)
HERE'S the most remarkable ap
peal", observed Kennedy, one
morning, as he tossed to me a let
ter. "What do you think of that?"
It read:
Montrose, Conn. ,
My Dear Professor Kennedy:
You do not know me, but I have
heard s. great deal about you.
Please. I beg of you, do not disre
gard this letter. At least try to
wiiLy the appeal l am making.
I rim here at the Belleclaire San
n'onurn, run by Dr. Bolton Burr,
of Montrose. But it is not a real
natoriunl. It is really a private
asylum.
Ijet me tell my story briefly.
After niy baby was born I devoted
myself to it. But, in spite of every
thing, it died. "Meanwhile my bus
hand neglected me . terribly. After
vie n.toy s aeatn x was a nervouis
wreck, and I came up here to rest
Now I find I am being held as an
insane patient. I cannot get out. "
! do not even know whether this
rU-i- will reach you. But the
hr.r.i'jermaid here has told me she
will post it for me.
i am ill and nervous a wreck,
l.i-. riot insane, although they will
nil you that the twilight-sleep
treatment affected my mind. But
v. I'.it is happening here will event
ually drive" me insane if some one
;o".s not come to my rescue.
C annot you get in to see me as a
!octor or friend? I will leave all to
on after that.
Vours anxiously,
Janet (Mrs. Roger) Cranston.
"What do you make of it yourself?" I
', ; raed, handing back the letter. "Are
: . : going to take it up?" He slowly
k !:ea over the letter again.
'.fudging by the handwriting," he re
marked, thoughtfully, "I should say that
writer is laboring under keen excite
!,; iit though there is no evidence of in
sanity on the face of it. 3fes; I think I'll
lake iuD the case."
"Buc how are you going to get in?" 1
ruked. "They'll never admit you will-
Kcr.nedy pondered a minute. "I'll get
m, ail right," he said, at length; "come
n-I'rn oing to call on Roger Cranston
"Hogtr Cranston?" I repeated, dumb-'"-im.iod.
"Why, he'll never help you!
to nr.e he's in on it."
"We'll nave to take a chance," return-
Kennedy., hurrying me out of the lab-
uory
nocfc!1 Cranston was a well-knwn law-
iT and u.an about town. We found him
: ! is office on lower Broadway. He was
: "'.."? ar.d distinguished-looking, which
; ouacly accounted for the fact that his
f:. - :.id become a sort of fashionable
(f ft of domestic relations. 9
"I:n a friend of Dr. Bolton Burr, of
'jut rose," introduced Kennedy. Cran
stLU looked at him keenly, but Kennedy
-l:.s r. ijood actor. "I have been studying
fnir.t! of the patients at the sanatorium,
M l I have seen Mrs. Cranston there."
"I;;deed!" responded Cranston. "I'm all
I ..; ok en up about it myself."
I could not resist thinking that he took
:'- very calmly, however.
"I should like very much to make wliat
v. ; call a psychanalysig of Mrs:5" Or. m
: ion's mental condition," Kennedy ox-
l.l:.i!.tfl.
"A i.-ychanalysis?" repeated Cranston.
"V you know it is a new system. In
1'!L' ii !d of abnormal psychology, the soul
.'!ia:y. i.-j is of first importance. To.iy,
Hiis study is of the greatest help in ncu
: l"3y and psychiatry. Only, I can't mr.ke
:t without the consent of the natural
ai:aril!an of the patient. Dr. Burr tells
; .:o that you will make no objection."
"Well," he returned, slowly, "they tell
1:0 that wi--jut treatment she will soon
l.e hope-It? insane perhaps dangerous
ly so. That is all I know. I am not a spe-i-inlisi.
If Docor Burr" He paused. .
"!t you can give me just a card," urged
TT. i.r.edy, "that is all Doctor Burr
V.'l.sl)03."
t'ranston wrote hastily on the back of
(': of his cards what Kennedy dictated.
Please allow Doctor Kennedy to
make a psychanalysis of my wife's
l'.f-iital condition.
"'oil will let me know if there is any
1 he asked.
"As soon as I can," replied Kennedy,
" il iet you have a copy of my report."
'rar.ston thanked us and bowed us to
door sauvely.
"Weil," I remarked, as we rode down
; the elevator, "that was clever. He
- li for it, too. You're art artist. Do you
;hink he was posing?"
I'i nntdy shrugged his shoulders.
Wo lost no time in getting the first train
: -Montrose, before Cranston had time
reconsider and call up Doctor Burr.
Ti.e Helleciaire Sanatorium was on the
skirts of the town. It was an old
''a house, rather dingy, and surround-
i'.v a high stone wall surmounted by
1 1' pickets. v
I liolton Burr, who was at the head
' ;ie institution, met us in the plainly
-i. i.jhed reception-room, which also
"'1 as his office. Through a window
could see some of the patients walk
'! sitting about on a small stretch of
'-.-My grass between the house and the
i .tor Burr was a tall and command--looking
man with a Vandyke beard,
i one would have instinctively picked
" out anywhere as a physician.
I hf'.icvc you have a patient here
- Roger Cranston," began Kennedy,
II i" the usual formalities. Doctor Burr
' 'I us askance. "I've been asked by
Cranston to make an examination of
1 ' wife," pursued Craig, presenting the
' id which he had obtained from Roger
' "in::ton.
' li in:" mused Doctor Burr, looking
' kiy from the card to Kennedy with a
- uching glance.
"I wish you would tell me something of
1 case before I see her," went on Ken
"'ly, with absolute assurance.
'Well,'' temporized Doctor Burr, twirl-
the card, "Mrs. Cranston came to meinot'have been anything wrong.,still I was
aneT me aeatn or tier child. She was in
a terrible state. But we are slowly build
ing up her shattered nerves by plain,
simple living and a tonic." -
"Was she committed by heir husband?"
queried Kennedy, unexpectedly.
Whether or not Doctor Burr felt sus-j
picious of, us I could not telL But he
seemed eager to; justify himself.
"I have the papers committing her to
my care, he said, rising and opening a i j
safe in the corner.
He laid before us a document in which
appeared the names of Roger Cranston i
and Julia- Giles.
"Who is this Julia Giles?" asked Ken
nedy, after-he had read the document.
'One of our nurses," returned the doc-
wx. dub ims naa Airs. Cranston under
observation ewi- sino oi a,-tt
H C 1 i .
, v, w..
T cliAnl.1 1:1. X- . .. ... .
oitvum iiAc lo see Dotn mjss uues and
airs. .Cranston, insisted Kennedy. "It three uaj 3. I roiiiz.-.i my tierv.':? -.-nct;-
is hot that Mr. Cranston is in anv WflV.ltion, and one day a macitnt friend'- of ours
rHMffori vetth , . 1 introduced mo to Doctor Bnrr and d vised
dissatisfied with-jour treatment, but heme to laKe a ,c,t.cure at hrs sanitonunv
thought that perhaps I might be of some By this ti.r.e Roger and 1 were or. .s.o.-ai:-
asslstance to you." J trsg-terms again. But tne death of the
Eennedv's mnnner w hrmii v,!baby rnd the quanei left me cti!! as
no "unicu uii, iej)t it snouia oc
cur to Doctor Burr to call up Cranston.
The doctor, still twirling the card, finally
led us through the wide central ball and
np an old-fashioned winding staircase to
a large room on the second floor.
He tapped at the door, which was open
ed, disclosing an interior tastef fully fur
nished. Doctor Burr introduced us to Miss Giles,
conveying the impression, which Kennedy
had already given, that he was a special
ist, and I an assistant.
Janet Cranston was a young and also
remarkable beautiful girl. One cculd see
traces of sorrow in her face, which was
exceedingly, though not unpleasingly pale.
The restless brilliancy of her eyes spoke
of some physical, if not psychical, dis
order.
She was dressed in deep mourning,
which heightened her pallor and excited
a feeling of mingled respect ahd interest.
Thick brown coils of chestnut hair were
arranged in such a manner as to give an
extremely youthful appearace to her deli
cate face. Her emotions were expressed
by the constant motion of her slender
fingers.
Miss Gijes was a striking woman of an
entirely different type. She seemed to be
exuberant with health, as though nursing
had taught her not merely how to take
care of others, but had given her the se
cret of caring, first of all. for herself.
I could see, as Doctor Burr introduced
us to his patient, that Jlrs. Cranston In
stantly recognized Kennedy's interest in
her case. She received us with a grace
ful courtesy, but she betrayed no undue
interest that might excite suspicion, nor
was tnere any hint given of the note of
appeal. I wondered whether that might
not be an instance of the cunning for
which I had heard that the insane are
noted. She showed no sign of insanity,
however.
I looked about curiously to see if there
were evidences of the treatment which
she was receiving-. On a table stood a
bottle and a glass, as well as a teaspoon,
and I recalled the doctor's remark about
the tonic.
"You look tired, "Mrs. Cranston." re
marked Kennedy, thoughtfully. "Why
not rest while we are here, and then I
will be sure my visit hs had no ill
effects." As he syoke, Kennedy arranged the pil
lows oh a chaise longue and placed her on
it, with her head slightly elevated. Hav
ing discussed the subject of psyclianalysis
with Kennedy- before, I knew that was
so that nothing mightdistract her from
the free association of ideas.
He placed himself near her head, and I
, . I
motioned to us to stand farther back of
him, where she could not sec us.
"Avoid all muscular exertion and dis
traction." he continued
want you tO
concentrate your attention thoroughly.
Tell me anything that comes into youi
rrv,ii n i-, r
1
toms. Concentrate, and repeat all you j
think of. Frankly express all the thoughts
that you have, even though they may i
be painful and embarrassing."
He said this soothingly, and she seem
ed to understand that much depended
upon her answers and -the fact of not
forcing her ideas.
"I am thinking of my husband," Mrs.
Cranston began, finally, in a dreamy tone.
"What of him?" suggested Kennedy.
"Of how the baby separated us and "
She pause l, almost in tears.
From what I knew of the method of
psychanalysis I recalled it was the gaps
and' hesitations which were most import-,
ant in arriving at the truth regarding the
pause of her trouble.
"Perhaps it was my fault; perhaps t
-g-
was a better motner tnan a wild.
thought I was doing what hi would want ;
me to do. To late I see my mistake.'
It wis easy to read Into her story that
there had been other women in his life,
It had wounded her deeply. Yet it was
equally plain that she still loved him.
"Go on," Kennedy urged, gently.
"Oh, yes," she resumed, dreamily; "f
am thinking about once, when I left him.
I wandered through the country. I re
member little, except that it was the
country through which we had passed: j
on an automobile trio on our honeymoon,
Once I thoueht 1 saw him. and tried to
. . . . . ,1 A 1 t
get to him I longed for him. but each
time, when I almost reached him, he
would disappear. I sqemed to be so de
serted and alone. I tried to call him, but
my tongue refused to say his name, it
must have been hours that I wajidered
about, for I recall nothing after that un
til I was found, disheveled and ex
hausted." She paused and closed her eyes, while
I could see that Kennedy considered this
gaS very important.
"Don't stop,'' persisted Kennedy.
"Once we quarreled over one 6T his ell-'
ents who was suing for a divorce. 1
thought he was devoting tocr much time
and attention to her. While there might
(7
1
afraid in
viy anjier and
f,lt.-...l 1;,
i 1. 11... iL
V t.Samiv;:i:ii the
him' It,.- t wo or
door. vv-H I d'd nr-; h
1 t,, rt,
anrifu3
j to have rne do somsthin
nd so i came
heri.'
"Do you remember anything that hap
pened after that?" asked Craig, or the
first time asking a mildly leading ques
tion. "Yes; I recall everything that happened
when 3. came here," she went on. "Rbger
earne up with me to complete the neces
sary arrangements. We were met at the
station by Doctor Burr and this woman,
who has since been my nurse and com
f ann- " the wa "p ff2m the stat"
to the sanitorium Doctor Burr was very
considerate of me, and I noticed that my
husband seemed interested in Miss Giles
j arid the care she was to take of me.
rt,i-.-nV ir. p.-V.ir.h io wnc nnnrf-ntl V
i-.usHv pnid in irsttine nown her
1 u?r.V t At.t nnt knw .-iM.-.t whnf inter-
swors. I did not know juri. what inter-
oretation to put on it, cut su';msed that it
meant that he had struck what the
psychologists call a "complo--:," n
entrance of Miss Giles into the case.
nar
the
Before we realized it, there ca.me ft I
sudden outburst of feeling.
'And now they are keeping me here by
force:" sho cried.
Doctor Burr looked at us significantly,
as much as to say, "Ju3t what might be
expected, you sec." Kennedy nodded, but
made no effort to stop Mrs. Crane tou.
"They have told Roger that I am In
sane, and I know he must believe it, or
he would not leave me here. But their
real motive, I can guess, is mercenary. I
can't compiain about my treatment here
it costs enough'
By this time she was sictiiig bolt up
right, staring straight ahead, as though
amazed at her boldness in speaking so
frankly before them.
"L feel all right at times tnen !t is as
though L had a paraiysis of tne body, but
not of th mind not of tha mind," she
repeated, tensely. There was a fright-
ened look 011 her face, and her voice was
now wildly appealing. -
i What would have
followed I cannot
guess, for at that instant there came a
noise outside from another of the rooms
as though panedmcniuni had broken
looge. By the shouting and confusion,
one might easily have wondered whether
keepers and lunatics might not have ex
changed places.
"It is just one of the patients who has
escaped liom ms room,
tcr Burr; "nothing to y.
exclaimed Doc
alarmed about.
We'll soon have him quieted."
Doctor Burr hurried out into the corri
dor while Miss Giles was looking out of
he dqor.
Quickly Kennedy reached over and ab
stracted several drops from a bottle of
tonic on the table, pouring it into his
handkerchief, which he rolled up tightly
and stuffed into his, pocket. Mrs. Cran
ston watched him pleadingly, and clasped
her hands in mute appeal, with a ftasty
glance at Miss Giles.
Kennedy said nothing, either, but rap
idly folded up a page of the notebook on
which he had .been writing and shoved it
into Mrs. Cranston's hand, together with
something he had taken from his pocket.
She understood, and quickly placed it in
her corsage. -
ii r l SMt mtm . si Br. wit mr, n r rm m m m: . ' - - a m mm am - w. at , w dh -m. -. m ' n i
11 111
i - '.'
I
- : ,.c;.:., ,'.nc.
P-.-xit-'iy .1 jie-1 "iccaa if .v rn.:a you fo e
2 bso'utely
I alone," ho vhisiJ?red, ju-:t r.s li
shut the door and turned to us.
s Criies
j The excitcmont subsided almost :as
quickly as it had aiux-n. but' It had been
3i:Hicient to put a stop to any further
study of the case'aJoug those lines: Miss
Giles's keen eyes' missed no action or
movement cf her patient.
Doctor Burr returned shortly. It was
evident from -hi3' manner that' he wished
to have the visit terminated, and Ken
nedy seemed quite willing to take the
hint. He thanked Mrs. Cranston, and we
withdrew quietly, after bidding her gobd
ty in a manner as reassuring as we
cotild make it under the circumstances.
"You see," remarked' Doctor Burr, as
we walked down the hr.ll, "she is quite
unstrung still. Air. Cranston cornea up
here once in a while, und we notice that
"Are you going to take it
op?"
after these visits she is
if
anything,
worse."
Down the
hall a door had been left
open, and we could catch a glimpse of a
patient rolled in a blanket, while " two
nurses forced something down his threat
Doctor Burr hastily closed the door .as !
ve passed.
That is the condition Mrs. Cransto
an-imiht have, cot into if she had not come i
i to as when she did." h said. "As it is. 1
to us when she did," he said. "As it is,
sne i3 never violent ana is one 01 tne
mort trp.ctar-ie patients we nave,
We. Irf;- shortly, without finding oxit
whether Doctor Burr suspected us of any
thing ox not. As we made our way back
; to the city, I could not help the feeling
of depression such as Poe mentioned at
seeing the private madhouse in France.
'What glimpse we had into the other
room alr-ost makes one recall the sooth
ing' system of Doctor Maillard. Is Doctor
Burr's system -better?" I asked.
"A good deal of what we used to think
and practice is out of date now," returned)
Kennedy. "I think you are already fa
miliar with tha theory of dreams that has
ben developed by Dr. Sigmund Freud,
of Vienna. But perhaps you are not
-aware of the (act that Freud's
tion to the study of insanity is of even
greater scientific value, than his dreaitt
thoreC taken by themselves. "
"Her. l. feel 3ure now, is what' Is
known -in one of the so7called 'border
line CS:
he continued. "It is clearly
l a ca-sc t. hysteria not .the hysteria one
hears Fpr-ken of commonly, but the" con
dition which, scientists know as such. We
tract?' i.o impulses from which hysterical
ccj-.c-.':- lis arise, penetrate the disguises
whi'cii ihse repressed impulses or wishes
irv..-i i.$:-ume m order to appear in the'
eov. -usness. Such . transformed inv
pi'..- are found in normal people, too,
so". r.es. The hysteric suffers mostly
frc-!.: reminiscences which, paradoxically,
pev be completely forgotten.
; sessions ana pnopias nave tneir on-
c; :bstitute for an unbearable sexual
idea and takes its place in consciousness.
.ormal sexual life, no neurosis is
In n
Oc :.'.! iile.- say the jTreudistS. Sex -is the
eudistS. ' Sex - is the
yet subject to-the
siro'igcst impulse,
gi c .pst repression, and hence the weakr
est point of our cultural development.
Hj cteria arises- through the conflict be
tween, libido and 'sex-repre'ssion Often
scx-'wishes may be consciously rejected
but unconsciously accepted. So when
they are' understood every insane utterv
ance has a reason. There is really method
in madness. ,
"When hysteria m a wife gains her the
attention of an otherwise inattentive hus
band it fills, from the standpoint of. her
deeper longing, an important place, -and,
gjn, according to Freud, in sexuar lrfe.'fwlren I said it was very important pusi
Th ,-h;e.irtTi rTirpsrtnt.i a. fiomnensation J ness on which I wanted to see him ie
?n a sense, may be said to be desirable.
The great point abot.it the psychanalytic
method, as discovered by Breuer and
IFreiid, is that certain symptoms of hys
teria disappear when the hidden causes
are brought to light and . the- repressed
desires are gratified."
' "How does that apply to MrS. Cran
ston?" I queried.
- "Mrs. Cranston," he replied, "is suffer
ing from what the psychanalysts call
o. psychic trauma a soul-wound, as it
were. It is the neglect, in this case, of
her- husband, whom she deeply loves.
That, in itself, is suiiicicnt to. explain her
experience wandering through .the coun-
tvry. It was the region which she associ
ated with her first love-affair, as she told
us.-' The wave of recollection that swept
over her engulfed her mind. In other
words, reason eofild no longer dominate
the cravings for a love so long sup
pressed. Then, when she saw, or imagined
she saw, . one who looked like her lover
the strain was too great."
It wai the middle of the afternoon when
we reached the laboratory. Kennedy at
once set to work studying the drops of
j tonic which had been absorbed in th(
n 1 handkerchief. As Kennedy worked, I be
ti-mir TOJnfh rmrl hppn ahanrhM in tne
San thLmring over again of what we had
seen at" the Belleclaire banatorium.
Somehow or other, I'could not get out of
my mind the recollection of the man
rolled in the blanket and trussed up as
flelpiess a mummy. I wondered
whether that alone was sufficient to ac
count for the quickness with which he
had been pacified. Then I recalled -Mrs.
Crans'toir'S remark about her mental
alertness and physical weakness Had Jt
anythir.g to do with the "tonic?"
"Suppose, while I am waiting," I finally
suggested to Crai. "I try to , find out
what Cranston doe3 with his time since
his wife has been shut off from the
world." ,
"That's a very good idea,'' acquiesced
Kennedy. "Don't take too long, however,
fox X may strike something important
contribV-ihreany minute."
. AJtfir several inquiries over the tele-
fpqnei I found that since his wife had
beeerr in Montrose Cranston naa ciosea
his apartment and was living at one of
-his clubs. Having two or three friends
who wore members, I did not hesitate to
drop around.
Unfortunately, none of my friends hap
pened to be there, and I was forced,
finally, to ask for Cranston himself, al
though all that I really wanted to1 know
was whether he was there or not.. Onf
of the clerks told me that he had been
in; but had4 left in a taxicab only tL short
time, before.
As there was a cab-stand outside thte
club, I determined to mtke an inquiry
and perhaps discover the driver who. had
rrari him. The starter knew him, and
motioned to a driver who had just puiled
Kip. & 9
R chance-for another fire and a, gener-
ous tip were au mat- was necessary 10
findwee him to drive me to the Trocadero,
a tashionaoie
restauram ana caDaret,
where he4 had taken Cranston a, short
tinfe before. ; It was crowded , when en
terdv and, voiding - the; -head waiter, 1
stood by the door a few minutes and
looked over the brilliant and. gay throng.
FinaHyV I managed to catclr a glimpse of
Cranston's head at a table in a far cor
ner. As I made my way. down, the Hne
of tables, I was genuinely amaed: to see
that-he was. with ,a woman. It was Julia
Giles! - i c v. t
"She must have come down on the next
yf train after we did, but,- at any rate, it
u Jooka,asT though shfevhad lost no time in
seeKing put. Cranston after .our Visit. 1
tCiJk' a Seat at-a table next them. - ,
. They were talking about Kennedy, and,
fifcrtbsflaf IaU -iH.,thd raiusic; I overheard
him asking" her just , what Craig had done.
. -"It was. certainly Very clever in him to
t-lay both yo'u and Doctor Etrr the way
His did. H toW Tiactor Rurr . fknt vmi
ji hart setit.hlm. and told you that Doctor
Burr had sent him. By whosa "do you
suppose be really wasvsent?"
"Could it have been my wifef" v
"It must have been, but how she did it
in mere than I can imagine." .
"How is she. anyway?" he asked.
"Sometimes she seems to be getting
along ffhely, ,and then, other davs. T feel
j quite discouragedabout her. Her case is
'very opstmat?."
1 "Perhaps I had better go and see
Burr," he considered. "It is early in the
evening. I'll drive you out in my car.
I'll stay at the sanatorium tonight, and
then, perhaps, I'll know a little better
what we can do." ' '
It was his tone rather than his words
which gave me the impression that he
was more interested in being with Miss
Giles than with Mrs. Cranston. I won
dered whether it was a plot' of Crjtnston's
and Miss GileS's. Had he been posing
before Kennedy, and were they really
trying to put Mrs. Cranston out of the
way ?
As the music started up again, I heard
her say, "Can't we have just one more
dance?"
A moment later they were lost in the
gay whirl, on the dancing floor. They
made a handsome couple, and it was evi
dent that it was not the first time that
they had dined and danced together. The
music ceased, and they returned to their
places reluctantly, while Cranston tele
phoned for his car to, be brought around
fo the cabaret.
I hastened back to the laboratory to
inform Craig what I had seen. As I told
my story he looked up at me with a sud
den flash of comprehension.
"I am glad to know where they will all
be tonight," he said. "Some one has been
giving her henbane byoscyamin. I have
just discovered it in the tonic."
"What's henbane?" I asked.
"It is a drug derived from the hyoscy
amus plant, much like belladonna, though
more distinctly Sedative. It is a hypnotic
used often inS mania and mentalNexciter.
raent. The feeling which Mrs. Cranston
described. Js one of- its effects. You re
call the brightness of her eyes? That is
one of the effects of the mydriatic alka
loids, of which this is onei The ancients
were familiar: with several of its peculiar
properties, as they knew of the closely
allied hemlock.
. "Many of the text-iooks at the present
time fail to-iSay anything about the re
markable eriect produced by lajge doses
of this terrible alkaloid. This effect can
be described technically so as to be in
telligible, but no descript n can convey,
even approximately, the terrible sensa
tion produced in many insane patients by
large doses. In a general .way. It is the
condition o paralysis of the body without
the correspOfiQIrig paralysis of the mind."
"And it's this stuff that, somebody has
been putting into her tonic?" I asked,
startled. "Do you suppose that is part of
Burr's system, or dia Jaiss Giles lighten
her work by putting, it into the tonic?"
Kennedy did not betrays his suspicion,
but went on describing- the drug which
Was having such a serious effect on Mrs.
Cranstomv
"The victim lies In an absolutely help
less condition sometimes with, his muscles
so completely paralyzed that he cannot
so much s move a finger; cannot close
his lips or move his t6nfue to moisten
them. This feeling of helplessness and
depression is absolutely unlike any other
feeleing imaginable, if I may judge from
the accounts of those who have experi
enced it. Other sensations, such as pain,
may be judged, in a measure, by com
parison with other painful sensations, bat
the sensation produced by hyoscyamin in
large doses seems ' to have no basis for
comparison. There is no kindred feeling.
Practically every institution foe the in
sane used it a few years ago for con
trolling patients, but now better methods
have been devised." ,
"The more I think of what I saw at the
Trocadero," I remarked, "the more I
wonder if Miss Giles has been seeking to
win Cranston herself."
"In large-enough doses and repeated
often enough," cntinued Kennedy, "I sup
pose the txic effect of the drug might
be to produce insanity. At any rate, if
we are going to do anything, it might bet
ter be Cone at once. They are all out
there now. If we act tonight, surely we
shall have the best chance of making the
guilty person betray himself."
Kennedy telephoned for a fast touring
car, and in half an- hour, while he 'gath
ered some apparatus together, the car
was before the door. In it he placed a
couple or light silk-rope ladders, some
common wooden wedges, and an instru
ment which resembled a surveyor's
transit with two conical horns sticking
out at the ends.
We made the trip out of New York, and
up the Boston post-road, following the
route which Cranston and-Mfss Giles must
have taken some hours, befpre us. In the
town of Mbfitrose; Kennedy stopped only
long enough to get a bite to eat and to
study up in the rpad3 of the vicinity.
It was long after midnight when we
struck up into the country. The night
was very dark, thiek, and foggy. With
the engine running as muffled as possible
and the lights dimmed, Kennedy quietly
jammed on the bra,kes a3 we pulled up
along the Side of the road. .
A few rods farther ahead I could make
out the Belleclaire .Sanatorium surround
ed by its picketed stone wall. Not a light
was visible in any of the windows.
"Now that we're here," I whispered,
"what can we do?"
"You remember the paper I gave Mrs.
Cranston when the excitement in the
hall broke loose?"
"Yes," I nodded, as we'moved over un
der the shadow of the wall.
"I wrote on a sheet" from my note
book," said Kennedy, "ahfl told her to be
ready when She heard a pebble strike the
window; and I gave her a piece of string
to let down to the. ground.'
Kennedy threw the silk ladder up until
it caught on on6'.of the pickets; then,
wffh the other ladder and the. wedges,
he reached the top of the wall, , followed
by me. We pulled! the first ladder up as
we clung to the pickets, and let it down
again inside. Noiselessly we, crossed the
lawn. v
Above was: Mrs. Cranston's window.
Craig picked up sdme .bits of broken stone
from, al. waik aDOut the house ana threw
them gently against the pane. Then we
drew back into the shadow of the house,
lest any prying eyes might discover us.
tin a few minutes the window on the sec
ond floor was stealthily opened. The muffled-figure
of . Mrs;; Cranston appeared in
the dim light? then a piece of string was
lowered.. '
To it Kennedy attechedra liarht silk lad
der and motioned in pantomime for her
to draw, it up. -,It took., her some time to"
fasten . the ladder to one 'of the heavy
pieces of f urniture-.ta ,the room. Swaying
from side to side", but clinging with fran-
tic desperation to the -ladder, ' ;f .';-
did our best to steady it, she managed 'to'
reach the ground. She turned fronv lh'
building with a shudder,- and whiprd ;v ; y
"This: terrible place!. How can l;r
thank fou for, getting me out of ltf ,;:' ?j ;? :''v
Kennedy did .not 'pause long enough to :
say . a word, but hurried her across to tlia. O-f
final barrier, the. wait x:'J'';!:
Suddenly there was a shout - of"" alarm
from the front of the house under.: the
columns. It was the night watchman, .. -
who had discovered us. 1 ' V'--v'flX'.'.
Instantly Kennedy seized a chair from -4 ;'
a little summer-house. . s '
"Quick, Walter," he cried, "oveV-the V' v .
wall with Mrs. Cranston, while J. hold ' , .
him! Then throw the ladder back on this
side. I'll join you in a moment, as soon ,
as you get her safely over." ' ' " ;- v;;
A chair is only an indifferent club," it .'
that is all one can think of using it. foT; f ,-p '
Kennedy ran squarely at the watchmaiw : ? -f
holding it out straight before him. Only:
once did I cast a hasty glance back. Ther-J
was the-man pinned to the wall by" tbr '
chair, with Kennedy at the other end of l
it 'and safely out of reach. - . . I;'
Mrs. Cranston and I managed to scram- '
ble over the wall, although she tore- hoc
dress on the pickets before we reachoi.
the other side. I hustled her into the; car
and made everything ready to start. .it
was only a couple of minutes after 1 "
threw the ladder back before Craig rc ""v '
joined. us. - : ',
"How did you get away from the watcr ,
man?" I demanded, breathlessly, as w -
shot away. -
"I forced him back' with the chair ii.i -the
hall and slammed the door. Then i" ;x
jammed a wedge under it," he chucl:tcd: - I
"That will hold it better than any lock.- , J
Every push will jam it tighter." ' - ;
Above the hubbub, inside now, we con!"
hear, a loud gong sounding insists! 'V.
All about were iights flashing up ot tLe
windows and moving through the pas--'-asfeways.
Shouts came from the back ot
the house as a door was finally opened
there. But we were ojJ now, with a good :
start. , -
I could imagine the frantic telephonir.c;
that was going on in the sanatorium. An'l
I knew that the local police of Mbn'io?i3
and every other town about us were be
ing informed of the escape. They won.
required by the law to "render all po.i jibia "
assistance, and, as the country boastcu
several institutions quite on a par with v
Belleclaire, an attempt at an escape -waA
cot a unusual occurrence. -.":
The post-road by which we had con.e
was therefore impossible,- and Kenned , .
swung up into the country, in the lu'ru"
of throwing off pursuit long enough to '
give us a better chance ' - .'",
"Take the. wheel, Walter," he muttered.
"I'll tell you what turns to make. Wo
must get to the State line of New 1'orJc ,
without being stopped. We can beat al
most any car.. But. tjiat, is, not enough. v
A telephone message ahead may step us, -unless
we can keep from being seen."
I took the wheel, and did not stop tht
car as Kennedy climbed over the seat, I '.,'
the back of the car, where Mrs. Cranston
was sitting, he hastily adjusted the pecul- ''
lar apparatus. -
"Sounds at night are very hard to lo- -cate,"
he explained. "Up this road, Wal
ter; there is some one coming ahead 0i"
us."
I turned and shot up the detour, stop- y--ping
in the shadow of some trees, whero v
we switched off every light and shut down
the engine. Kennedy continued to watch '
the instrument before him.
"What is it? I whispered. &
"A phonometer," he replied. "It was in
vented to measure the intensity of sound.
But it is much more valuableas an in
strument that-tells with precision from
what dtrectibrf a : 'Sontracomcs. It needs
only a small dry battery and can be car
ried around easily. The sound enters the
two horns of the phonometer, is focused
at the neck,' and strikes on a delicate
diaphragm, behind which is a needle. The 1
diaphragm vibrates and the needle mpyer
The louder the sound the greater the '
movement of this needle.
"At this end, where it looks as though .
I were sighting like sl surveyor, I am-
gazing intoiens, with a tiny electric bulb .
close to my eye. The light of this bulb -is
reflected in a mirror which is moved
by the moving needle. When the sound
is loudest the two horns at right angles
to the direction whence it comes. So It :
is only necessary to twist the phonometer
about on its pivot until the sound is de
ceived most loudly in the horns and the'
band, of light is greatest. I know than .
that the horns are 'at'trlght angles to the
direction from which the sound proceeds,
and that, as I lift my head, I am look-
ing straight toward the source of tha
sound. I can tell its direction to a few.-'-degrees.
I looked through it myself to see Tiow . .
sound was visualized by light.
"Hush!" cautioned Kennedy. ' '
Down on -the main road we $ould see a
car pass along slowly in the direction of :?
Montrose, from which we had come.
Without the phonometer to warn us, it
must inevitably have met us and blocked . "
our escape over the road ahead. -.
The danger passed, , on we sped. Fivo
minutes, I calculated, and we should cross
the State line to New York and safety. -
We had been going along nicely When," -"Bang!"
came a loud report, back of us.
"Confound it,',' muttered Kennedy; "a
blowout always when you least expect It"
We climbed out of the car and had the
shoe off in short order.
"Look!" eried Janet Cranston, In a
frightened voice, from the. back of the
car. , - i
The light of the phonometer had flashed '
up. A car was following us.
"There's just one chancel" cried Ken
nedy, springing to the wheel. "We might
make it cn the rim.' ' ;
Banging and pounding, v. . forged ahead.
straining oureyes to watch the road, the
distance, the time,r and the phonometer
all at once. '
It was no use. A big gray roadster was "
overtaking us. The driver crowded . us s
over to the very edge of the road, then
shot ahead, and, where the road narrow- -ed
down, deliberately pulled up across. v
the road in such a way that we had to '
run into him or stop. '"' -V
Quickly Craig's automatic gleamed , m
the dim beams from the side lights.
."Just a minute," cautioned a voice. -"It
was a plot against me, quite as much as
it was against her the nurse to lead me -on,
while the doctor got a rich patient.
I suspected all was not right' That's
why I gave you the card. I knew you
didn't come from Burr. Then, when 1
heard nothing from you, I let the Giles
woman think I was comings to Montrose- ;
to be with her. .But, really, I wanted to Y
beat the fake asylum-"' -?
Two piercing headlights shone down the" -road
behind us. We waited a momnt
until they, too, came to a stop. - -
"Here they are!" shouted the voice of
a man, as he jumped out, followed by a .
woman, . '
Kennedy stepped forward, waving his
automatic menacingly. . t "
"You are under arrest for conspiracy '
both of you!" he cried, as we recognized -Doctor
Burr and Miss Giles. -v' V
A little-try behind me startled me'anl .
I turned. Janet Cranston had flung her- -self
into the arms of the only person who
could heal her wounds. - . " -
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