114 THE LOCKED CUPBOARD 



fellow and intimate friend of a few years back. He, 

 after they left a public school in the North Midlands, 

 had gone to Australia, and there had been no corre- 

 spondence between them. He had recently returned 

 to England and was living alone in London lodgings, 

 and had probably been working too hard as his nerves 

 were in a queer state. My friend at once offered to 

 take him to his home to stay a week or two with his 

 people, as he thought an interval of rest and pleasant 

 society would set him up again. He gladly consented, 

 and was presently received in the house and put in a 

 large room which had not been occupied for a long 

 time. Things went well for a few days, and their 

 guest appeared to be quite happy with them, except 

 when he had dark brooding intervals; then one day 

 my friend heard noises as of violent blows in the guest's 

 room, and going in to ascertain the cause, found 

 his young visitor standing before a large cupboard 

 pounding the panels with his fist. My friend caught 

 hold of him and asked him what he was doing. 

 "Doine!" he exclaimed, "don't you see what I'm 

 doing — trying to smash this damned cupboard open 

 where you keep human bones locked up ! " He was 

 wildly excited, and my friend began trying to pacify 

 him, telling him that it was a most ridiculous fancy 

 about human bones, that he had never seen a human 

 bone in his life. By-and-by he quieted down, and my 

 friend told him laughingly that he must get no more 

 of such delusions in his head or it would make them 

 very uncomfortable in the house. 



He then left him, and quiet reigned for half an 



