Page:The achievements of Luther Trant - Balmer and MacHarg - 1910.djvu/119

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THE RED DRESS
97

the word that you will see." He dropped a card quickly into the rack.

"Do not be surprised," he begged, as she looked at the drop-window curiously, "if this examination seems puerile to you. It is not really so; but only unfamiliar in this country, yet. The Germans have carried psychological work further than any one in this nation, though the United States is now awakening to its importance." While speaking, he had lifted the shutter and kept it raised a moment.

"It must be very interesting," Miss Hendricks commented. "That word was 'America,' Mr. Trant."

Trant changed the card quickly. "And I'm glad to say, Miss Hendricks," he continued, while the maiden lady watched for the next word, interested, "that Americans are taking it up intelligently, not servilely copying the Germans!"

"That word was 'imitation,' Mr. Trant!" said Miss Hendricks.

"So now much is being done," Trant continued, again shifting the card, "in the fifty psychological laboratories of this country through painstaking experiments and researches."

"And that word was 'investigate!'" said Miss Hendricks, as the shutter lifted and dropped again.

"That was quite satisfactory, Miss Hendricks," Trant acknowledged. "Now look at this please." Trant swiftly substituted the lithograph he had picked up at Eldredge's office. "What was that, Miss Hendricks?"

"It was a colored picture of a room with several people in it."