Page:The strange experiences of Tina Malone.djvu/67

Rh But again I had to run away, chased by the voices, and to tell him I could not enjoy the theatre till they had gone.

Poor Tony! He tried so hard to help me! Still wondering at the cause, he asked if I would let him tell me of a Psychic Healer and see if she could give me relief.

So we arranged for her to come.

But in the meantime the voices were so bad and saying indecent and terrible things that I took matters into my own hands.

One morning early I went across to Sybil.

The maid told me that she had been up all night and would come down as soon as she was dressed.

This time there was no laughter in her eyes.

I told her my trouble. She took me out to the verandah as if she did not like to stay in the house.

But I could not tell her all. I told her of the indecent things the voices were saying to me and said I meant to go to Dr. Morton's again.

She said, "Would you like me to come with you?"

I said "no," I would go alone.

So I went to Dr. Morton's and waited there with two other people in his waiting-room.

"You know what I've come for?" I began as he showed me into his consulting-room. "The voices are still going on and they are saying the most insulting things not only about me but about my friends."

"Did you go to Dr. Alward as I advised your sisters?" he asked impatiently.

"No, I did not," I said.

I knew my sister had rung up one day for his advice and he had suggested Dr. Alward, who was a nerve doctor who generally clapped his patients into an asylum till he had time to give them his whole attention.

"Well, I should advise you to go into a mental hospital to be looked after. The easiest way to go about it is to go to the nearest reception house saying you are feeling sick," he said.

"Now, you just write that down for me," I said. "Is that what you'd do yourself under the same circumstances?"

He looked a little puzzled and as if he were rather surprised at himself.

"Just write that down for me," I said.

Obediently he took a piece of his paper from his desk, and was taking a pen when I held out my hand.

"No, you dictate it to me," I said.

So looking vaguely puzzled he dictated it and with a laugh I rose and began to talk.

"Don't let him sign it," said a voice.

"You're wasting my time," he said. "Go to Dr. Alward."

"Now, you're not yourself," I said. "I'm going to come