thought that the physical exercise in
no way compensated for the mental distress which the sense of
humiliation and disgrace caused him to suffer. It was delightfully easy
for me to interfere in his behalf; and when he came to my room, wrought
up over the prospect of another such humiliation and weeping bitterly,
I assured him that he should take his exercise that day when I did. My
first move to accomplish the desired result was to approach, in a
friendly way, the attendant in charge, and ask him to permit my new
friend to walk about the grounds with me when next I went. He said he
would do nothing of the kind--that he intended to take this man when he
took the others. I said, "For over a year I have been in this ward and
so have you, and I have never yet seen a man in Mr. Blank's condition
forced to go out of doors."

"It makes no difference whether you have or not," said the attendant,
"he's going."

"Will you ask the doctor whether Mr. Blank can or cannot walk about the
grounds with my special attendant when I go?"

"No, I won't. Furthermore, it's none of your business."

"If you resort to physical force and attempt to take Mr. Blank with the
other patients, you'll wish you hadn't," I said, as I walked away.

At this threat the fellow scornfully laughed. To him it meant nothing.
He believed I could fight only with my tongue, and I confess that I
myself was in doubt as to my power of fighting otherwise.

Returning to my room, where Mr. Blank was in waiting, I supported his
drooping courage and again assured him that he should be spared the
dreaded ordeal. I ordered him to go to a certain room at the farther
end of the hall and there await developments--so that, should there be
a fight, the line of battle might be a long one. He obeyed. In a minute
or two the attendant was headed for that room. I followed closely at
his heels, still threatening to attack him if he dared so much as lay a
finger on my friend. Though I was not then aware of it, I was followed
by another patient, a man who, though a mental case, had his lucid
intervals and always a loyal heart. He seemed to realize that trouble
was brewing and that very likely I should need help. Once in the room,
the war of words was renewed, my sensitive and unnerved friend standing
by and anxiously looking on.

"I warn you once more," I said, "if you touch Mr. Blank, I'll punch you
so hard you'll wish you hadn't." The attendant's answer was an
immediate attemp