hom
she had any complete relations and absolute sympathy. She had become so
passive in his hands that it seemed as if her only healthy life was, as
it were, transmitted through him, and that she depended on the transfer
of his nervous power, as the plant upon the light for its essential
living processes.

The two young men who had met in so unexpected a manner on board the ship
Swordfish had been reasonably discreet in relating their adventures.
Myrtle Hazard may or may not have had the plan they attributed to her;
however that was, they had looked rather foolish when they met, and had
not thought it worth while to be very communicative about the matter when
they returned. It had at least given them a chance to become a little
better acquainted with each other, and it was an opportunity which the
elder and more artful of the two meant to turn to advantage.

Of all Myrtle's few friends only one was in the habit of seeing her often
during this period, namely, Olive Eveleth, a girl so quiet and sensible
that she, if anybody, could be trusted with her. But Myrtle's whole
character seemed to have changed, and Olive soon found that she was in
some mystic way absorbed into another nature. Except when the
physician's will was exerted upon her, she was drifting without any
self-directing power, and then any one of those manifold impulses which
would in some former ages have been counted as separate manifestations on
the part of distinct demoniacal beings might take possession of her.
Olive did little, therefore, but visit Myrtle from time to time to learn
if any change had occurred in her condition. All this she reported to
Cyprian, and all this was got out of him by Mr. William Murray Bradshaw.

That gentleman was far from being pleased with the look of things as they
were represented. What if the Doctor, who was after all in the prime of
life and younger-looking than some who were born half a dozen years after
him, should get a hold on this young woman,--girl now, if you will, but
in a very few years certain to come within possible, nay, not very
improbable, matrimonial range of him? That would be pleasant, wouldn't
it? It had happened sometimes, as he knew, that these magnetizing tricks
had led to infatuation on the part of the subjects of the wonderful
influence. So he concluded to be ill and consult the younger Dr.
Hurlbut, and incidentally find out how the land lay.

The next question was, what to be ill with.