examined by some of the greatest psychiatrists in the country, but none
of them have ventured on a positive verdict as to the nature of the
malady. They admit, of course, that it exists, but they won't classify
it. The fact that it is intermittent seems to have them stopped. He was
bad a month ago but he recovered and became, to all appearances, normal
for a time. About a week ago he began to show queer symptoms again and
now he is getting worse daily. If he goes on getting worse for another
week, it will have to be announced so that the Vice-President can take
over the duties of the head of the government."

* * * * *

"What are the symptoms?"

"The first we noticed was a failing of his memory. Coupled with this was
a restlessness and a habit of nocturnal prowling. He tosses continually
on his bed and mutters and at times leaps up and rages back and forth in
his bedchamber, howling and raging. Then he will calm down and compose
himself and go to sleep, only to wake in half an hour and go through the
same performance. It is pretty ghastly for the men on night guard."

"How does he act in the daytime?"

"Heavy and lethargic. His memory becomes a complete blank at times and
he talks wildly. Those are the times we must guard against."

"Overwork?" queried the Doctor.

"Not according to his physicians. His physical health is splendid and
his appetite unusually keen. He takes his exercise regularly and suffers
no ill health except for a little eye trouble."

Dr. Bird leaped to his feet.

"Tell me more about this eye trouble, Carnes," he demanded.

"Why, I don't know much about it, Doctor. Admiral Clay told me that it
was nothing but a mild opthalmia which should yield readily to
treatment. That was when he told me to see that the shades of the
President's study were partially drawn to keep the direct sunlight out."

* * * * *

"Opthalmia be sugared! What do his eyes look like?"

"They are rather red and swollen and a little bloodshot. He has a
tendency to shut them while he is talking and he avoids light as much as
possible. I hadn't noticed anything peculiar about it."

"Carnes, did you ever see a case of snow blindness?"

The operative looked up in surprise.

"Yes, I have. I had it myself once in Maine. Now that you mention it,
his case does look like snow blindness, but such a thing is absurd in
Washington in August."

Dr. Bird rummaged in