I did not think it best, he was so wild with delirium. The eye was in full chase now around the room, and he was following it with feverish, bloodshot eyes, which did not rest long upon anything. A new fancy had also taken possession of him, and when it was not the eye it was a braid of blonde hair floating out to sea, while he laughed as he watched it mounting wave after wave until it finally disappeared and the eye came to the front again. Rena could have thrown light upon the hair, but the eye puzzled her. Sam had told Lottie what he had seen at the well, and girl-like Lottie had told Rena, who thus knew that Rex had looked in the well, but not of the half face and the eye.
“Let me see him,” she pleaded. “Don’t you know I told you I could quiet people?”
Against my better judgment I let her into the room where Rex was trying to catch the eye as it moved back and forth in front of him.
“Oh, is that you?” he said. “Quite a game of shuttlecock I am having. Come and see if you can catch it.”
I had been trained in one of the best hospitals in New York, and thought I knew how to treat the fancies of crazy people, but I gave the palm to Rena, who went up to Rex and said, “Certainly, I can,” and taking both his hands in one of hers she gave a rapid sweep in the air with the other.
“I have it,” she cried, closing her hand tightly.
“Let me see,” he said, trying to lift his head from the pillow.
“Oh, no,” Rena answered. “It might escape, and I am going to send it after that braid of hair.”
She went to the window, made an outward motion as if throwing something from her, then returned to Rex, who was looking at her wonderingly.
“It’s gone,” she said, and taking her seat beside him she laid her hand upon his head, telling him he must be quiet.