ich appeared like cold
deliberation.

"Aunt Beatrice thinks I'm mad because I say I'm not the same person she
found in my place last March. I want you to tell her that it's not just
my fancy, but that you know that sometimes a quite different person
takes my place, and I'm not responsible for anything she says or does."

"Yes, that's a solemn Gospel fact, right enough," affirmed Tims.

Lady Thomson could hardly control her indignation, but she did, although
she spoke sternly to Tims.

"Do I understand you to say, Miss Timson, that it's a 'solemn Gospel
fact'--Gospel! Good Heavens--that Milly is possessed by a devil?"

Tims plumped down on the sofa and stared at Lady Thomson.

"Possessed by a devil? Good Lord, no! What do you mean?"

"Mildred believes herself to be possessed by an evil spirit."

Tims turned to Milly in consternation.

"Milly, old girl! Come! Poor old Milly! I never thought you were so
superstitious as all that. Besides, I know more about it than you do,
and I tell you straight, you mayn't be quite such a good sort when
you're in your other phase, but as to there being a devil in it--well,
devil's all nonsense, but if that were so, I should like to have a devil
myself, and the more the merrier."

Milly turned on her a face pale with horror and indignation. Her eyes
flashed and she raised a remonstrating hand.

"Hush!" she cried. "Hush! You don't know what dreadful things you're
saying. I don't know exactly what this spirit is that robs me of my
life; I'm only sure it's not Me and it's not good."

"Whatever may be the matter with you, Mildred," said Lady Thomson, "it
can't possibly be that. I suppose you have suffered from loss of memory
again and it's upset your nerves. Why will people have nerves? I should
advise you to go to Norton-Smith at once."

Milly's tears were flowing again but she managed to reply:

"I've been to Dr. Norton-Smith, Aunt Beatrice. He doesn't seem to
understand."

"He doesn't want to," interjected Tims, scornfully. "You don't suppose a
respectable English nerve-doctor wants to know anything about
psychology? They'd be interested in the case in France, or in the United
States, but they wouldn't be able to keep down Milly Number Two."

"Then what use would they be to me?" asked Milly, despairingly. "I can
only trust in God; and He seems to have forsaken me."

"No, no, my dear child!" cried Lady Thomson. "Don't talk in this painful
way. I can't imagine what you mea