The Argosy, Vol. 82 No. 2 — page 64: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

246 tween Jane and Mr. Farnham was quite aghast. ‘There may be a doctor ahead,” slipped from the driver. “There is certainly one at Drayton,” Aunt Hettie said, ‘for I saw his sign.” “But Drayton—” “Mr. Farnham, you will return to Dray- ton or you will assume ail responsibility for the loss of this child’s reason, if it comes to that,” the chaperon said flatly, and rested her case. “We'll go back, of course,’ Jane said quickly. “And if—if you really think $She’s in danger of losing her mind—why, good Lord!” breathed Mr. Farnham, as _ he started the motor once more, threw in his reverse and backed about so emphatically that even Mary paused in the middle of a new shriek. “Sit tight, everybody! I’m going to speed her up!”’ “Well, not too fast!”? Aunt Hettie called. “If that poor kid stands any chance of going crazy permanently, we can’t go too fast!”” Mr. Farnham shouted, and if he dis- coursed further on the need of haste his words were lost in the sudden rush of wind. By this time, of course, he was master of the car—or nearly master, at any rate. For no apparent reason, the thing insisted on lurching from one side of the road to the other every now and then; but while that might be a trifle hard on the springs it did not interfere with the steady forward motion. Mr. Farnham was learning fast, too, which was well for poor Mary’s sake. He tecalled Cragg’s mention of coasting down the hills and tried it himself with glowing success. Through one dizzy hour Mary screamed, but during the second sheer lack of breath rendered her screams comfortingly fainter. When he came to the level stretch by the river at last, Mr. Farnham’s hair rose; things were almost still behind and he won- dered if Mary were really dying and dared not look back. And now the river was past and the quite familiar hamlet of Drayton lay just ahead. With a vague, unhappy feeling of having returned to a home he detested, the driver stopped with a crash before the doctor’s home and beckoned the garage boy, who gaped at him from the garage doorway. “Fill up those tanks again, kid!” directed Mr. Farnham. ‘Put in four or five gallons THE ARGOSY. extra in a can, if you have one. Now. How is she?” She was at least alive. Limply, but screaming doggedly, Mary permitted herself to be lifted from the car and carried into the doctor’s house and stretched upon a comfortable leather couch. 3 There, moaning and looking about with the same horror-stricken eyes, laughing hor- ribly now and then, and again bursting into feeble tears, Mary lay motionless until an expansive set of white whiskers entered the room, immediately followed by their pro- prietor, the physician. He considered Mary Callum and asked many questions—and the little clock across the room denoted that the afternoon was passing swiftly. He examined the patient and asked further questions as he mixed a dark and sinister fluid from many bottles— and still the little clock raced on. Eventually, however, he delivered his ver- dict. “Hysteria, of course,” said he, “but one of the most violent and exhausting cases I have ever séen.” “Her reason—is that in danger?” Farn- ham asked anxiously. The doctor smiled reassuringly. “In no danger at all, young man—with proper treatment. [ am giving her as strong a sedative as I dare. When it begins to take effect, she will have to go to bed and re- main there for a day at least.” “But where?” ‘Right here, naturally. I have a spare room,” the physician said calmly. “We can’t stay here for another day!” Mr. Farnham thought aloud. ‘Well, Mary must stay and I will stay!” Aunt Hettie said, with sudden and astound- ing force. ‘This ridiculous automobile tour has come to an end! Do you hear, Jane?” “T hear, dear, but—” “An end!” repeated Aunt Hettie and, glancing at her heaving bosom, the doctor added to the quantity of the dark fluid. “No consideration in this world could ever drag me into that car again, with you driv- ing, Mr. Farnham! I am a patient woman and I will endure much to please Jane; and since yesterday morning I have endured enough to kill a younger and more robust woman, but this is the end!” “Well, if Mary—” Jane began again. “T remain here, and so do you and the rest!”? Aunt Hettie said grimly. Mr. Farnham sighed. Gomichbook (C@