Connecticut western news., 1888-06-06
LOCKED IN.

Lucy Hutton turned palc. sho was locking the school room door, when, under the shade of the trees outside, she saw man stand watching her.
 She turned pale, but showed no other sign of emotion. Without turning to look again at this ma1, she drow her shawl about her, turned, came down tho steps, and walked homeward.
 Her home was but temporary one. Lucy Hutton had come from a littlo farm in tho country to take charge of a parish free school. She was staying at boarding house where nearly all wcro stranger.
 Sho was very pretty, with long golden hair, which sho woro free upon her shoulders. Few persons had ever seen moro beautiful hair. -.es Lucy turned pale because she had learned to be afraid of this person who was watching her. She knew his ap- pearance we'll. For timo he had sat opposite to her at table, on emaciated, pallid, carefully dressed man, with long black hair, parted iu tho .mildle of Q high, narrow forehead, and falling long upon his coat collar. Her first un- easiness was caused by observing that he constantly watched her out of pair of small black eyes. His observation was so close as to be annoying. Sho had at length avoided it by changing her sat at the table.
 He never spoke to her. She did not know his name, aud none of tho few persons she know were acquainted with him. Having placed herself beyond his nctice at table, she congratulated herself on having escaped him, when, to her consternation and serious uneasiness, she discovered that he followed her to and from the school.
 She chose to ignore this. She did not even speak of it to any one. Though a slight, golden-haired girl, Lucy Hutton was courageous, and natural delicacy prevented her from making fuss about the matter. But, at last, sho began to be annoyed by notes, expressing this mans infatuation. He desired to make her acquaintancc-to marry her. Lucy's immediate impulse was to send his first note to her lover, Henry Gray son, and ask his assistance. Then she resisted what seomel weakness.
 'I shall avoid this strange lover of mine; hc cannot do me any har rm," sho thought.
 But she could not forget him. His eyes, his gait, the cut of his garments, became horribly familiar to her. She felt that she was constantly under his surveillance. If she walked alone, he boldly followed her at distance. If she entered crowd, sho found him at her elbow. Once as she stood at shop window looking at some lace, ho hisscd in her ear: q love you," and slipped instantly out of sight in tho evening darkness. After this she mover allowed herself to be abroad after the cvenin 2 s early dusk. At the mans approach she had felt him so physically powerful as to fill her with torror.
 Tho day previous to the evening ol which Iwritc had brought new incl dent. A noto had been left at the school room addressed to her which read as follows:
 BEAUTIFUL LUcY-I must spe,k to you you must hear me. Meet me tonight at thu lower end of Redmonds bridge; remember, | you must come.
 There was no signature, but there could be no doubt from whence it came. Lucy's cheeks flushed with indignation but thrill of fear went through hel heart. Her pursucr's audacity seemed to have approached crisis.
 Shc crushed tho note in her hand, fo, the obscrvant eyes of her little pupils were upon her and she forced herself to go on with their lessons; but her check burned redly-her mind wandered ir spite of herself.
 Of course she did not mean to meet this man; and what would be tho con sequences if she did not7 She began te feel desperately tho need of aid In thi strange matter. She wished that Hen " Grayson wero there ;she wished mos of all that she wcro at Inc me.
 Whom she locked tho school-roon door that night she saw, as have said, this gaunt, black-haired man watchin her under the troes. With a quick firm step she walked down the street At loast he should not sec that sho wa afraid of him. But she heard step be hind her; it was his. He came to he side; his detestable voice said over he shoulder: Tonight at o'clock. for got to tell you tho time.''
 !! ehs nsvse turned her head or mad. st