ct stood her in good stead. She related the
story of the search for Lucy, the discovery that one of the maids at
Elmhurst resembled the missing girl, and the detective's conclusion that
Eliza Parsons was none other than Lucy Rogers, who was suffering from a
peculiar mental aberration and had forgotten every detail of her former
life.

Mrs. Rogers followed the tale with intelligent understanding, and her
joy at the discovery of her wandering child was only tempered by the
fear that Lucy would never know her mother again or be content to remain
in her humble home.

Then Dr. Hoyt took up the conversation and related the many instances of
complete recovery that had come under his observation.

"I am adopting heroic methods in this case," said he, "but I have
reasonable hopes of their success. Your child doubtless became mentally
confused while under this roof. How many hours she wandered, we do not
know, but it could not have been long before she lay down by the
roadside and fell asleep. When she awakened her mind was a blank as
regards her identity and former history. Now, in order to effect a
recovery, I have reversed these experiences with her. She is at present
plunged into a deep sleep, under the influence of narcotics that have
rendered her brain absolutely inactive. It is really a state of coma,
and I wish her to waken in this house, amid the scenes with which she
was formerly familiar. By this means I hope to induce her mental
faculties to resume their normal functions."

Mrs. Rogers accepted this proposal with calmness and a confidence in the
physician that was admirable. Old Will trembled with nervous excitement,
and was so "flustered" by the importance of the experiment that Dr. Hoyt
decided to give him a quieting potion.

Lucy's room was prepared in the exact manner in which she had left it,
and presently the visitors drove back to Elmhurst.

In the evening the doctor made the journey a second time, accompanying
the unconscious form of Lucy, which was attended by a maid Louise had
sent with her.

The girl was undressed and put to bed in her own room, and then everyone
except Dr. Hoyt returned to Elmhurst.

The physician sat late in conversation with the blind woman and old
Will, and when they retired for the night he lay down upon a lounge in
the little living-room. The question of fees or of comfort was wholly
ignored by the specialist at the moment. His sole interest was in his
remarkable case.

Mr