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was fair to look upon。 She knew that she was called The Wonder by
the schoolmates who were dazzled by her singular accomplishments； but
she did not overvalue them。 She rather tended to depreciate her own
gifts； in comparison with those of her friend； Miss Lurida Vincent。
The two agreed all the better for differing as they did。 The octave
makes a perfect chord； when shorter intervals jar more or less on the
ear。 Each admired the other with a heartiness which if they had been
less unlike； would have been impossible。
It was a pleasant thing to observe their dependence on each other。
The Terror of the schoolroom was the oracle in her relations with her
friend。 All the freedom of movement which The Wonder showed in her
bodily exercises The Terror manifested in the world of thought。 She
would fling open a book； and decide in a swift glance whether it had
any message for her。 Her teachers had compared her way of reading to
the taking of an instantaneous photograph。 When she took up the
first book on Physiology which Dr。 Butts handed her； it seemed to him
that if she only opened at any place； and gave one look； her mind
drank its meaning up； as a moist sponge absorbs water。 〃What can I
do with such a creature as this？〃 he said to himself。 〃 There is
only one way to deal with her； treat her as one treats a silkworm：
give it its mulberry leaf； and it will spin its own cocoon。 Give her
the books； and she will spin her own web of knowledge。〃
〃Do you really think of studying medicine？〃 said Dr。 Butts to her。
〃I have n't made up my mind about that；〃 she answered； 〃but I want to
know a little more about this terrible machinery of life and death we
are all tangled in。 I know something about it； but not enough。 I
find some very strange beliefs among the women I meet with； and I
want to be able to silence them when they attempt to proselyte me to
their whims and fancies。 Besides； I want to know everything。〃
〃They tell me you do； already；〃 said Dr。 Butts。
〃I am the most ignorant little wretch that draws the breath of life！〃
exclaimed The Terror。
The doctor smiled。 He knew what it meant。 She had reached that
stage of education in which the vast domain of the unknown opens its
illimitable expanse before the eyes of the student。 We never know
the extent of darkness until it is partially illuminated。
〃You did not leave the Institute with the reputation of being the
most ignorant young lady that ever graduated there；〃 said the doctor。
〃They tell me you got the highest marks of any pupil on their record
since the school was founded。〃
〃What a grand thing it was to be the biggest fish in our small
aquarium； to be sure！〃 answered The Terror。 〃He was six inches long；
the monster；a little too big for bait to catch a pickerel with！
What did you hand me that schoolbook for？ Did you think I did n't
know anything about the human body？〃
〃You said you were such an ignorant creature I thought I would try
you with an easy book； by way of introduction。〃
The Terror was not confused by her apparent self…contradiction。
〃I meant what I said； and I mean what I say。 When I talk about my
ignorance； I don't measure myself with schoolgirls； doctor。 I don't
measure myself with my teachers； either。 You must talk to me as if I
were a man； a grown man； if you mean to teach me anything。 Where is
your hat； doctor？ Let me try it on。〃
The doctor handed her his wide…awake。 The Terror's hair was not
naturally abundant； like Euthymia's； and she kept it cut rather
short。 Her head used to get very hot when she studied hard。 She
tried to put the hat on。
〃Do you see that？〃 she said。 〃I could n't wear itit would squeeze
my eyes out of my head。 The books told me that women's brains were
smaller than men's： 〃perhaps they are；most of them；I never
measured a great many。 But when they try to settle what women are
good for； by phrenology； I like to have them put their tape round my
head。 I don't believe in their nonsense； for all that。 You might as
well tell me that if one horse weighs more than another horse he is
worth more；a cart…horse that weighs twelve or fourteen hundred
pounds better than Eclipse； that may have weighed a thousand。 Give
me a list of the best books you can think of； and turn me loose in
your library。 I can find what I want； if you have it； and what I
don't find there I will get at the Public Library。 I shall want to
ask you a question now and then。〃
The doctor looked at her with a kind of admiration； but thoughtfully；
as if he feared she was thinking of a task too formidable for her
slight constitutional resource。
She returned； instinctively； to the apparent contradiction in her
statements about herself。
〃I am not a fool； if I am ignorant。 Yes； doctor； I sail on a wide
sea of ignorance； but I have taken soundings of some of its shallows
and some of its depths。 Your profession deals with the facts of life
that interest me most just now； and I want to know something of it。
Perhaps I may find it a calling such as would suit me。〃
〃Do you seriously think of becoming a practitioner of medicine？〃 said
the doctor。
〃Certainly； I seriously think of it as a possibility； but I want to
know something more about it first。 Perhaps I sha'n't believe in
medicine enough to practise it。 Perhaps I sha'n't like it well
enough。 No matter about that。 I wish to study some of your best
books on some of the subjects that most interest me。 I know about
bones and muscles and all that； and about digestion and respiration
and such things。 I want to study up the nervous system； and learn
all about it。 I am of the nervous temperament myself； and perhaps
that is the reason。 I want to read about insanity and all that
relates to it。〃
A curious expression flitted across the doctor's features as The
Terror said this。
〃Nervous system。 Insanity。 She has headaches； I know；all those
large…headed； hard…thinking girls do； as a matter of course； but what
has set her off about insanity and the nervous system？ I wonder if
any of her more remote relatives are subject to mental disorder。
Bright people very often have crazy relations。 Perhaps some of her
friends are in that way。 I wonder whether〃the doctor did not speak
any of these thoughts； and in fact hardly shaped his 〃whether；〃 for
The Terror interrupted his train of reflection； or rather struck into
it in a way which startled him。
〃Where is the first volume of this Medical Cyclopaedia？〃 she asked；
looking at its empty place on the shelf。
〃On my table；〃 the doctor answered。 〃I have been consulting it。〃
Lurida flung it open； in her eager way； and turned the pages rapidly
until she came to the one she wanted。 The doctor cast his eye on the
beading of the page； and saw the large letters A N T。
〃I thought so；〃 he said to himself。 〃We shall know everything there
is in the books about antipathies now； if we never did before。 She
has a special object in studying the nervous system； just as I
suspected。 I think she does not care to mention it at this time； but
if she finds out anything of interest she will tell me； if she does
anybody。 Perhaps she does not mean to tell anybody。 It is a rather
delicate business；a young girl studying the natural history of a
young man。 Not quite so safe as botany or palaeontology！
Lurida； lately The Terror； now Miss Vincent； had her own plans； and
chose to keep them to herself； for the present； at least。 Her hands
were full enough； it might seem； without undertaking the solution of
the great Arrowhead Village enigma。 But she was in the most perfect
training； so far as her intelligence was concerned； and the summer
rest had restored her bodily vigor； so that her brain was like an
overcharged battery which will find conductors somewhere to carry off
its crowded energy。
At this time Arrowhead Village was enjoying the most successful
season it had ever known。 The Pansophian Society flourished to an
extraordinary degree under the fostering care of the new Secretary。
The rector was a good figure…head as President； but the Secretary was
the life of the Society。 Communications came in abundantly： some
from the village and its neighborhood； some from the University and
the Institute； some from distant and unknown sources。 The new
Secretary was very busy with the work of examining these papers。
After a forenoon so employed； the carpet of her room looked like a
barn floor after a husking…match。 A glance at the manuscripts
strewed about； or lying in heaps； would have frightened any young
writer away from the thought of authorship as a business。 If the
candidate for that fearful calling had seen the process of selection
and elimination； he would have felt still more desperately。 A paper
of twenty pages would come in； with an underscored request to please
read through； carefully。 That re