The Green Mouse

Sudden Madnes

and Forty-second Street, Brown suddenly halted, pressed his hand to his forehead, gazed earnestly up at the sky as though trying to recollec

otested Smith, wrig

ed at him and

me and then look at the sky? Is--is a monoplane attempt

dreamily, "is creeping over me. Don't mov

me!" reto

's certainly cr

reeping o

cing that strange feeling that all--

t?--conf

the stifling odor of the pavements; I seem to remember that very hackman over there sponging the nose of his horse--even that pushcart piled up with peaches

f fidget occasionally, and there's no reason to stand on

features puckered in a futile effort to seize the evanescent memor

"as though everything that you and I do and say had once before been don

second Street," cut in Smith impatiently. "

gazed

y life," he muttered; "it's--it's astonishing.

?" demand

the boat and the tra

going to that week-end at the Carringtons we'd better get into a taxi and hustl

e must take a taxi!" insisted Brown,

; "up to five minutes ago you were reasonable. Wha

eavens! I knew you were going to say that to

olish on this broiling curbstone the rest o

nutes we have done and said before--somewhere--perhaps on some other pla

due this century at a house party on this planet. They expect us on this train. Are you com

g strangely portentous. I've got the funniest se

dangerously, "if you

y to increasing exciteme

ccur! I--I never before felt this way--so strongly--in all my l

oldly; "you've gone dippy. Also, we'v

? I--I believe I can almost tell you

ou trying to do now?" With real misgiving, for Brown, balanced on the edge of the gutter, began waving h

e cherry-colored cross-town car! Where

-town car in sight. Brown, don't act like

ere's a car comi

re a racing runabo

him away i

g to occur--in a cherry-colored tram car.... And so

o wh

cker basket in it--somebody holding a wicker basket--and there'll

lf on the gutter's edge, pale, rapt, uttering incoherent prophecy concerning t

had better come very quietly somewhere with me.

exclaime

thingly, "or I'll bark for you if you like

wn, laboring under tremendous emoti

ive minutes. What the devil is there to astonish anyb

. "The wicker basket! The summer gown! Exactly as

into the transverse seat behind that occupied by a wicker basket, a filmy summer frock, a big, white straw hat, and--a girl--the most amazingly

he gasped, sliding fiercely up beside

ok his head with a

or are you a respectable lawyer with a glimmering sense of common decenc

nd flourished it furiously under B

along the seat awa

my life to have a well-intentioned but intellectually dwa

ean me?" asked Smith, unable

d of a stockbroker, unable to appreciate it, come clattering and clamoring after me about a house p

" faltered Smi

though compelled by some unseen power--to foretell things? Didn't I prophesy the coming of this cross-town car? Didn't I even name its color befo

ive million white hats and dresses in this borough. There are five billion girls wearing 'em----!" "Yes; but the wicker basket" br

you are going before I

," replied Br

ng to follow that girl?" w

plain--you couldn't understand even if I tried to enlighten you. The sentiment I ha

retorted Smith, hotly. "And I know a--an

nd I forgive you, Smithy, for losing

aid Smith, grin

ut at last what all this maddening, tantalizing, unexplained and mysterious feeling that it all has occurred befo

ing to spe

How else can

l the police. If s

ll comprehend as soon as I begin to explain. She is inte

xasperated him. "To think--to think," he burst out, "that a modest, decent, law-loving business man

iness man as you are! And my grammar is better. And, thank Heaven! I've intellect enough to recognize a miracle when it happens to

esses you to act this way. People don't experience miracles in New York cross-town cars. The wildest stretch of imaginati

the b

There are quadrillio

, "with the conte

y n

look at the basket balanced

exterior with concentrated gaze.

at is in that basket? And how

lieve me if

r any corroborat

here's a cat i

-wh

c

o you

w, but there's a big, g

a gra

is gray, and it has si

that he was now b

the five boroughs had come to me with affidavits and told

ngs dawned upon him, rang out above the rattle and grinding of the car,

e, the violet eyes widening a little

er calm contemplation of the crowded street once more. Yet he

en gazed at

a low, agitated voice. "You--you would

fore. I recognize everything as it occurs.... Eve

traight

cibly from this car. Do yo

at incident did not happen. You only

slight chill creep up over his

ith a friend suddenly gone mad in the streets of New York and running

is arm. "Watch

id and rim a soft, furry, six-toed gray paw was