Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-03-14
Mad MitcheIi; Or, a Terrible Love
Chase.

''Lang Mitchell escaped from the
Asyluml" exclaimed Alice Durand.
= Yes" said Bessie West. ..And,
only to think, a few weeks ago he was
sultor for your hand. They do say
because you rejected him he went
mad"
The others face flushed angrily.
I You are very unkInd to say such
things, Bessie. You know L was only
friendly with him The insanity was
hereditary. But mother will be looking
for me-" putting on her hat Il must
hasten home"
"But what If you should meet Lang
in the woods; they are awfully lonely,
you know" said Bessie. Let me 60
with you.'
Nonsense" said Allie bravely. 81
am not afraid, good right"-as she
kissed her friend and started on her
lonely journey home. She was filled
with terror as she came to the lonely
place known as Dark Hollow, for the
careless words of her friend at parting
filed her with fear. How she wished
her betrothed, Frank Lane, could have
been there TO see her home.
She was speeding through the lonely
woods, her heart heating wildly, when
a cold shudder through every nerve.
: Glanciug wildly over her shoulder
she saw to her terror that some one
was following her.
With second glance she saw that
her worst fears were realized.
1t was mad Lang MITCHELL
Seeming to divine her discovery, he
gave utterance TO a shrill, maniscsl
laugh, which made her blood curdIe
and heart fairly cease its beating.
With a wild, agonizing scream she
fed for life.
His frantic cries making the evening
air hideous, the mailman rushed in
pursuit.
Terror seemed to lend wings and
strength to the fleeing girl, who sped
on like hunted fawn, expecting to be
overtaken at every bound of her wild
pursuer.
But he proved a clumsy runner, and
at first she out dIstanced him. Her
hopes began to rise as she began to feel
that 1t was possible for her to escape
him.
His superior strength, however, soon
began to count in his favor. She be-
gan to lose groundi
She saw saw that bold stroke must
be made for freedom. She remen-
bered there was an Old ruined house
near by; perhaps she could find a tenn
poraTy refuge there. She ran in Its di-
rection.
AS she bounded across the grass.
grown yard she felt the outstretched
hand of her pur5uer touch her flying
hair.
She barely reached the hall to close
the door, which had stood ajar for
years, as his foot gained the threshold.
Her almost superhuman effort hurled
the dila2:dated door from Its rust
eaten hinges. when it fell at the feet of
her pTrsuer a shattered wreck.
a portion of its frame struck the
mailman upon the side of the head, for
the time stunning him.
She was given opportunity to cross
an adjoining apartment before he re-
covered sufficiently to follow.
AS she passed swiftly over the floor
she felt It tremble beneath her weight,
but she safely reached the next room,
which was smaller and from which she
saw at a glance there was no place of
exit save from the door through which
she had entered.
There had been a window, but it had
been long since boarded over. To re-
treat was to rush into the arms Of her
pursuer, whose wild cries rang In her
ears again. Her heart sank within her
as she realized how hopelessly she was
entrapped.
The door was but a shattered frame,
which hung upon one hinge, so that it
could afford her no protection. How
ever, she showed wonderful self-posses-