The Washington critic., 1886-11-02


their heads.
Startled almost out of his wits by the
triple demonstration, the young man
jumped from the sofa and rushed
bindlv for the open window, through
! which he sprang and rolled down an
embankment into clump of wild
rose bushes beneath, where he stopped
no longer than was necessary to tear
himself away from the clinging thorns,
before starting to run for his life. he
knew not where, being doubtless fully
persuaded he was hotly pursued by an
angry old gentleman thirsting for his
blood.
Meantime, when Mr.. Cassauer re-
covered his eyesight he saw some
flut,eriDg drapery about to vanish
| through doorway, and he ut once
gave chase. Incited. as he was, by
rage inconccivably violent, he ran as he
never could have done under any other
| circumstances, but she was much
younger and lighter than he, and,
urged on by terror that would have
provided feet for cripple, she easily
kept out of his way until, seeing a
favorable opportunity, she ran up
stairs, rushed into her room. and
locked the door. A moment later he
stood outside rattling the knob furi-
ously.
'Ict me inv' he yelled, his voice
rendered fairly unrccognzable by pas
| sion; but a burst Of thunder coming at
the same instant drowned his words.
"Open this door, he howled, shaking
| IL with all his strength, "or I'll break
II down."
lie seemed about TO accomplish his
| purpose, when u firm hand was laid on
his shoulder and he was pulled back
with such violence that he fell over in
n sitting posture on the floor
"What are you doing here" dc.
mandcd stern voice, and lie saw him.
self confronted by stout, vigorous
looking gentleman, of about his own
age, who was eyeing him with an ex.
| preston of anger, not unmiXed, how.
| ever, with certain curiosity.
| 81 am trying to get at my wife," he
| answered, scramblng to his feet and
| preparing to repeat the attack.
| "IlOw came your wife in there -
asked the gentleman with puzzled
| air.
How came she there?" repeated
| Mr.. Cassaner, angrily, "how should
she come there, I'd like to know? She
walked there, of course, or rather she
ran there. But what is that to you?
a man may look for his own wife,
hope"
an civilized way, yes, but not like
an escaped Bedlamite."
"What business is II of yours how
behaveY" asked Mr.. Cassaner, hotly,
as he made another move toward the
door.handle. "If come home and
find man about to run away with my
wife ] suppose / may do my best to
stop them"
"a man trying TO run away with
| your wife, here - exclaimed the other,
much surprised.
mo; not here" snapped Mr. Casa.
ner, somewhere else, of course. They
were going to start from here, though,
If hadn't discovered this piece of viii
lainy and frustrated it. But what Is II
to you, any way 2" he demanded, with
increasing anger; for the strange gen.
tleman still persisted in keeping him
self before the door.
81 should say man might be par
doned for taking slight interest in
what is going on under his own roof"
was the cool retort.
"What do you mean by that :" asked
Mr.. Cassaner, aghast at the strange
| gentleman S assurance.
| simply that this is my house"
Upon my word" exclaimed the
other, Il believe you are the escaped
Bedlamite. DO you think me fool
This is my house, sir, and my wife has
| locked herself into that room to escape
my natural resentment at discovering
her faithless conduct. Now | want to
| get her out and you come and inter.
fere, from what motive | am unable to
| guess" Here he made another in
| elfcctuNl dash for the knob. "Will
you let me get at my wife, | say"
at seems useless to reason with
| you" said the strange gentleman,
slowly moving aside, 80 make your
wife unlock the door if you can, but
warn you, sir, ! will not sec her harmed
| in my house"
"Im not going to harm her." re.
piled the injured husband, doggedly,
"but IN have her out of that room in
lees than two minutes as sure as my
name is John Cassaner.
John Cassanerl" exclaimed the
strange gentleman, starting, while a
light seemed to break over him. "Are
you Mr.. Cassancr? Why, sir you are
my next door neighbor, Come here,
and | will show you where you live"
So saying, he almost dragged the
| astonished Mr.. Cassaner to a window
at the end of the hall, and pointed to
| the adjoining cottage only few rods
away, where, to his utter amazement,
he beheld his wife sitting at the
| window, no doubt watching anXiously
for his arrival
AT first he could not believe his own
eyes, then recovering himself II little,
| ne exclaimed:
"SCe here, did you notice that pile of
dirt in front of your gate? How came
it there, when il was in front Of my
gate this morning.
| AT this the strange gentleman, who
seemed very good fellow now he had
brought Mr.. Cassaner to his senses,
laughed heartily, and said;
"Why, you see, they finished your
drain this forenoon and put back the
dirt, now they have begun work on
mine"
Mr. CNssaner dropped into chair
with look of mingled modification
and relief, which set his good ,humored
ncighbor into another gale of mcrrl-
ment
"NIr --, beg pardon"
Raymond supplied the other.
"My name is William Raymond"
NH Raymond" continued Mr., Cas-
saner, II have been cOnsummate-"
Don't abuse yourself, sir. You
have been the victim of a very natural
mistake, 1T is no reproach to Il man
not TO know his own house in c.
street. These furnished cottages are
so exactly alike, outside and in, that
never dare to come down the street
| after dark withOut pnuntinr IN cnn