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Finally she had sent in forged orders。 This was quite unnecessary； for her salary was assured and sufficient； and her employers had regarded her as an extremely promising representative。 In Iowa she was receiving mail under two different names； she still found it convenient to represent herself sometimes as Agnes W。 In her peregrinations she had again made close friends with some substantial people； who found out； however； in short order that she was untruthful； and her chances with them were at once spoiled。
In the next weeks； when under observation； Inez varied her story from time to time even with the same persons。 She was now 17 and now 19 years old。 She had an operation first in one town and then it was in another。 Her antecedents in many particulars varied from time to time。 Inez seemed to have lost her desire or ability to be consistent； and in particular appeared to have no conception of the effect upon the adjustment of her own case which her continual lying was likely to have。 （At this time again some non…professional observers insisted strenuously that Inez was insane。 They based their opinion upon the fact that she showed so little apperceptive ability； so little judgment in relating the results of her continual lying to its necessary effect upon her career。） It requires too much space to go over the complicated details of her many stories； but some of her expressions and behavior are worth noting。
We always found Inez most friendly； sometimes voluble； and she ever dealt with us in a lady…like manner。 Again we noted that many a society woman would give much for her well modulated voice and powers of verbal expression。 Without any suggestion of melodrama she would rise to strong passages in giving vent to her feelings of indignation and ambition。 At this time we were still wondering where she could have obtained her education； it was not until later that we comprehended that her abilities represented sheer native traits。
She first came to us much hurt because a certain official had warned her； after one of her simulating episodes in a hospital； never to deceive again。 ‘‘My trying to get sympathy！ I don't want any sympathy。 I told her I was independent and always wanted to make my own way in the world。 If they thought I wasn't sick in the hospital why didn't they say so。 The doctor told me to stay in bed。
‘‘Doctor； yes； I did lie to you about my age before； why shouldn't I？ I have been deceived on all sides and have found that people are against me。 If they want to leave me alone； they can get the truth； but when one is deceived one has to tell lies sometimes。 I've had many troubles。 Oh； doctor； if you knew what I've been through and what's in my heart you'd think I do pretty well。 I would rather starve than have it cast up to me that I had asked for any body's help or sympathy。 I want to make my own way。 I must have an education。 In September I plan to go to the M。 Academy and work my way through。 I am just past 18 now。
‘‘The B。's are ashamed of me I suppose。 I ran away from them。 They are refined people。 But I can't be treated in that way。 They adopted me。 They said that I got some money dishonestly； but； doctor； it is not in me to be bad。 I feel that through and through。
‘‘Well； I know that I'm a Yankee by birth； on both sides。 My people came from Mayflower stock。 I will make my way in the world； I will succeed； and you'll see； doctor。 I will have an education。 As to going back to the Johnsons； I would commit suicide rather than do that。 It was not true that I had a good education as I told you。 They did not treat me well。 They can write as they please and talk about forgiveness for what I have done； but it is they who were cruel and abusive。 Suppose they do say I'm their child。 I know I am not because I was not treated the same as the others。 I was 12 or 13 when I ran away from them。 How could I belong to the family？ They are all so much older than I am。''
Inez now gave us； most curiously； some addresses which opened up knowledge of her career over several years。 But what she told us about these new people was directly denied by return mail。 At one interview her first words were； ‘‘Do you know now； doctor； that I was in a State hospital？'' Having made this challenging statement she went no further； merely involved herself in contradictions as to the place； and would say nothing more than that she had once suffered from an attack of nervous prostration。 She absolutely denied items of information about herself which we had gradually accumulated； and this type of reaction obtained all the way through our last period of acquaintance with Inez； even after we had the detailed facts about her early life from her parents。
Inez never lost an opportunity to impress upon people whom she did not regard as her equals that she considered herself much of a lady and quite above housework。 On one occasion； when held as a runaway girl； she had a terrible outbreak of temper simply because she was asked to clear the dinner table。 This was no momentary affair。 Her recalcitrancy was kept up the larger part of one day； and she made the place almost unbearable that night by screaming and moaning。 Telling me about the incident； she said it was because she would not allow herself to cater to such people。 ‘‘If a person asks me； I may do things； but nobody can tell me to。 I would not give in。 I would not do it。''
To some of us it has seemed highly significant that at moments which would ordinarily be expected to bring out great emotion Inez showed almost none。 For instance； when going to an important interview about the disposition of her case； she first plaintively said she did not know what to say； and then immediately began to dwell with evident pleasure upon the costume of the person addressing her。 Many normal emotions were seen expressed； however； and many moral sentiments were undoubtedly held； but there seemed to be curious displacements upon these levels of her mental life； there was faulty mental stratification。 Probably the force which caused this is egocentrism。
In relating what we now know of the past history of this case we shall put together that which we have heard from many different sources。 There is no question about all the important factscorrespondents largely corroborate each other。
Inez came from a family of French extraction； apparently stable and normal tradespeople。 The old mother at 74 years wrote us an unusually well…thought…out； detailed account of her daughter's early life。 The paternal grandfather was insane and an aunt had epilepsy。 Defective heredity in other respects is denied。 We get no history of convulsions in the immediate family； nor of any other neurotic manifestation； except that one sister is ‘‘very excitable。''
Inez came when the mother was unusually advanced in life； and the brothers and sisters； of whom there were five； had long since been born。 There was a difference of 10 years between Inez and the next older。 In telling the facts； the mother dwells much on this and the bearing which her chagrin during pregnancy may have had upon the girl's physical and mental development。 She was born； then； after a troubled pregnancy； a weak and sickly child； ‘‘almost like a skeleton。''
Inez was rather slow at walking； but at one year spoke her first words。 We do not know with accuracy about the earliest factors in the mental environment。 （Inez has told various stories about early family friction； and even about contracting an infection at home； much of which seems highly conjectural。） Between the ages of 7 and 10 several sicknesses； diphtheria； measles with some cardiac complication； etc。； kept her much out of school。 Part of the time she lived in New Orleans； and part of the time in a country district。 She only went to school until she was 14； and was somewhat retarded on account of changing about and illnesses。 However； it is said she always liked her school and showed fair aptitude for study。 At 14 she returned to New Orleans and； desiring to be a dressmaker； started in that trade。 She worked in several places； but finally went back to her home。
At the age of 18 Inez met with what； according to her family； was a decisive event in her life。 She was in a trolley car accident； after being knocked down she was unconscious for some time。 No definite injury was recorded。 Her family marked an entire change of character from that time。 They say she then began lying in the minutest detail about people and seemed to believe in her own falsifications。 Besides this she started the roving tendency which she has shown ever since。
The extensive information which we have received concerning the later history of this remarkable case we can only take space to give in summary。 We know definitely that Inez has received attention； during periods varying from a few days to six months； in no less than 18 different hospitals。 Besides this she has been under the care of physicians at least a score of times。 Her swindling in this matter was so flagrant in one eastern city to which she had journeyed that she was handled through the police court and was sentenced to a state hospital for the insane for a term of 6