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always on the same lines. I suggested a specialist, of course. `
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There's a very good man in Paris--makes a study of these `
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cases--but Mrs. Vandemeyer opposed the idea of publicity that `
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might result from such a course." `
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"I can imagine she would," said Sir James grimly. `
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`
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"I fell in with her views. There is a certain notoriety given to `
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these cases. And the girl was very young--nineteen, I believe. `
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It seemed a pity that her infirmity should be talked about--might `
`
damage her prospects. Besides, there is no special treatment to `
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pursue in such cases. It is really a matter of waiting." `
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`
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"Waiting?" `
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`
`
"Yes, sooner or later, the memory will return--as suddenly as it `
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went. But in all probability the girl will have entirely `
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forgotten the intervening period, and will take up life where she `
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left off--at the sinking of the Lusitania." `
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`
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"And when do you expect this to happen?" `
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The doctor shrugged his shoulders. `
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`
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"Ah, that I cannot say. Sometimes it is a matter of months, `
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sometimes it has been known to be as long as twenty years! `
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Sometimes another shock does the trick. One restores what the `
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other took away." `
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`
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"Another shock, eh?" said Julius thoughtfully. `
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`
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"Exactly. There was a case in Colorado----" The little man's `
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voice trailed on, voluble, mildly enthusiastic. `
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`
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Julius did not seem to be listening. He had relapsed into his `
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own thoughts and was frowning. Suddenly he came out of his brown `
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study, and hit the table such a resounding bang with his fist `
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that every one jumped, the doctor most of all. `
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`
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"I've got it! I guess, doc, I'd like your medical opinion on the `
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plan I'm about to outline. Say Jane was to cross the herring `
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pond again, and the same thing was to happen. The submarine, the `
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sinking ship, every one to take to the boats--and so on. `
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Wouldn't that do the trick? Wouldn't it give a mighty big bump to `
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her subconscious self, or whatever the jargon is, and start it `
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functioning again right away?" `
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`
`
"A very interesting speculation, Mr. Hersheimmer. In my own `
`
opinion, it would be successful. It is unfortunate that there is `
`
no chance of the conditions repeating themselves as you suggest." `
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`
`
"Not by nature, perhaps, doc. But I'm talking about art." `
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`
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"Art?" `
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`
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"Why, yes. What's the difficulty? Hire a liner----" `
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`
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"A liner!" murmured Dr. Hall faintly. `
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`
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"Hire some passengers, hire a submarine--that's the only `
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difficulty, I guess. Governments are apt to be a bit hidebound `
`
over their engines of war. They won't sell to the firstcomer. `
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Still, I guess that can be got over. Ever heard of the word `
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'graft,' sir? Well, graft gets there every time! I reckon that `
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we shan't really need to fire a torpedo. If every one hustles `
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round and screams loud enough that the ship is sinking, it ought `
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to be enough for an innocent young girl like Jane. By the time `
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she's got a life-belt on her, and is being hustled into a boat, `
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with a well-drilled lot of artistes doing the hysterical stunt on `
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deck, why--she ought to be right back where she was in May, 1915. `
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How's that for the bare outline?" `
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`
`
Dr. Hall looked at Julius. Everything that he was for the moment `
`
incapable of saying was eloquent in that look. `
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`
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"No," said Julius, in answer to it, "I'm not crazy. The thing's `
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perfectly possible. It's done every day in the States for the `
`
movies. Haven't you seen trains in collision on the screen? `
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What's the difference between buying up a train and buying up a `
`
liner? Get the properties and you can go right ahead!" `
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`
`
Dr. Hall found his voice. `
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`
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"But the expense, my dear sir." His voice rose. "The expense! `
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It will be COLOSSAL!" `
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`
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"Money doesn't worry me any," explained Julius simply. `
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`
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Dr. Hall turned an appealing face to Sir James, who smiled `
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slightly. `
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`
`
"Mr. Hersheimmer is very well off--very well off indeed." `
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`
`
The doctor's glance came back to Julius with a new and subtle `
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quality in it. This was no longer an eccentric young fellow with `
`
a habit of falling off trees. The doctor's eyes held the `
`
deference accorded to a really rich man. `
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`
`
"Very remarkable plan. Very remarkable," he murmured. "The `
`
movies--of course! Your American word for the kinema. Very `
`
interesting. I fear we are perhaps a little behind the times over `
`
here in our methods. And you really mean to carry out this `
`
remarkable plan of yours." `
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`
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"You bet your bottom dollar I do." `
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`
`
The doctor believed him--which was a tribute to his nationality. `
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If an Englishman had suggested such a thing, he would have had `
`
grave doubts as to his sanity. `
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`
`
"I cannot guarantee a cure," he pointed out. "Perhaps I ought to `
`
make that quite clear." `
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`
`
"Sure, that's all right," said Julius. "You just trot out Jane, `
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and leave the rest to me." `
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`
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"Jane?" `
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`
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"Miss Janet Vandemeyer, then. Can we get on the long distance to `
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your place right away, and ask them to send her up; or shall I `
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run down and fetch her in my car?" `
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`
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The doctor stared. `
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`
`
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Hersheimmer. I thought you understood." `
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`
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"Understood what?" `
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`
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"That Miss Vandemeyer is no longer under my care." `
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`
`
CHAPTER XV `
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`
`
TUPPENCE RECEIVES A PROPOSAL `
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`
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JULIUS sprang up. `
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`
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"What?" `
`
`
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"I thought you were aware of that." `
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`
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"When did she leave?" `
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`
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"Let me see. To-day is Monday, is it not? It must have been `
`
last Wednesday--why, surely--yes, it was the same evening that `
`
you--er--fell out of my tree." `
`
`
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"That evening? Before, or after?" `
`
`
`
"Let me see--oh yes, afterwards. A very urgent message arrived `
`
from Mrs. Vandemeyer. The young lady and the nurse who was in `
`
charge of her left by the night train." `
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`
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Julius sank back again into his chair. `
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`
`
"Nurse Edith--left with a patient--I remember," he muttered. "My `
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God, to have been so near!" `
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`
`
Dr. Hall looked bewildered. `
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`
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"I don't understand. Is the young lady not with her aunt, after `
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all?" `
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`
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Tuppence shook her head. She was about to speak when a warning `
`
glance from Sir James made her hold her tongue. The lawyer rose. `
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`
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"I'm much obliged to you, Hall. We're very grateful for all `
`
you've told us. I'm afraid we're now in the position of having to `
`
track Miss Vandemeyer anew. What about the nurse who accompanied `
`
her; I suppose you don't know where she is?" `
`
`
`
The doctor shook his head. `
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`
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"We've not heard from her, as it happens. I understood she was `
`
to remain with Miss Vandemeyer for a while. But what can have `
`
happened? Surely the girl has not been kidnapped." `
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`
`
"That remains to be seen," said Sir James gravely. `
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`
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The other hesitated. `
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`
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"You do not think I ought to go to the police?" `
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`
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"No, no. In all probability the young lady is with other `
`
relations." `
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`
`
The doctor was not completely satisfied, but he saw that Sir `
`
James was determined to say no more, and realized that to try and `
`
extract more information from the famous K.C. would be mere waste `
`
of labour. Accordingly, he wished them goodbye, and they left the `
`
hotel. For a few minutes they stood by the car talking. `
`
`
`
"How maddening," cried Tuppence. "To think that Julius must have `
`
been actually under the same roof with her for a few hours." `
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`
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"I was a darned idiot," muttered Julius gloomily. `
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`
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"You couldn't know," Tuppence consoled him. "Could he?" She `
`
appealed to Sir James. `
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