Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-06
twHiton for the Dispa,ch--copyrishiod is9oi
CHAPTER VII.
JrxKISs's RETREAT.

CHAPTER VII.
JENEISss RETREAT.
Amid the sorrovs in which Drane was
Again involved. he had one consolation
The young woman with thirteen millions
evidently felt almost "a badly as he did.
lie heard her tell Mrs. Bowers that the Ju-
diciel blacksmith on the bench was sim
ply dreadful"
But this was not the best Of Il; he heard
Mrs. Bowers's reply. Only two words. ~
deed, and "a irrelevant as are most ieuii-
nine utterances in times Of emergency;
"Why. BesSie!" was all she said, or AZ
least all that Drane heard. but he was more
than rejoiced. Her name was Bessiel AZ
last he had something 10 call heT III DIS
thoughts. IL was the first hint on the sub
sect. In his joy at this discovery he forgot
90 regret that he didn't know the other
half OF her name. He watched her pour
her woes into Mrs. Bowers's ear, and was
satisfied.
Such spectacle is always entertaining,
for when e woman has embarrassed man
ly making blundor II she j. not 100
stupid 10 see il, nor too proud to ac-
knowledge it, nor too nervous 20 know
what she is about, she viii sometimes pity
him divinely If he IS reasonably good
looking. And If she has begun TO feel a
little tenderly toward him she will often
eccuso herself unjustly IN order that she
may have the luxury Of telling herself
how sorry she is that she has put him into
difficulty.
That was why Bessie now gazed ut Drane
with such angelic sympathy depicted upon
her beautiful cOuntenance. Sle said III
her heart that her testimony had somehow
lelped TO prove that ne was insane. IL
was a question of the heart, and IN such
cases q woman never allows an appeal 10
tie higher tribunal of the mind: 80 Bessie
acted upon her first impulse and nnpiored
Mrs. Bowers to do something, no matter
what u was
With Mrs. Bowers it was a question
neither of the heart nor Of the mind, but
of the conscience. Therefore she decided
e. he morciless, but Just IL was her pam
DUTY 10 protect Bessie from impostors, Tor,
tune-hunters. and lunatics; so she frQwned
at Dranc in way that gave HIM emil 10
supplement the fever which Bessies ten
der chances had put into his blood.
Where will they send him now 7" ask
ed Bessie, shuddering.
Probably to Wards Island Temporal
rilv," replied Mrs. Bowers.
"Will they be good 10 him there
He will be cared for" said Mrs. Bow
ers, sternly; land fed-to a certain ex-
tent" IN
"Oh, nv" cried Bessie tearfqlly.
"Can't we take him home with rs! lou
have been so kind to me that ! look upon
your house ms home now. you know
Il couldn't think Of such thing" Mrs.
Bowers said, firmly. :" cannot have Iu-
patio in my house. II Is all that can 10
T. look ont for You"
At the thought that Drane would be
Rent, partly on her account 20 an island
where there might be neither pudding nor
fea, Bessie developed symptoms of hyste-
ria, which touched Mrs. Bowers's heart.
Perhaps could get him committed 10
Henkins's retreat ~ she said, relentlng.
Where is thatI" asked Bessie, catching
at straw.
Mrs Bowers, where they care Tor mud
hut hopeless lunatics. / will speak TO the
rs il better than that awful island?"
at is shade more cheerful Mrs. Bow
ers admitted, shutting her lips together
firmly.
cried Bessie. Tell HIM that VIII INN
Gen thousand if he will"
NV dear!" exclaimed Mrs. Bowers,
shocked at the girls ignorance, there
nre only certain number OF Judges IN
New York, aud you don't want them all.
Drane had observed this conversation.
though he could not hear any OF 1t. One
cannot hear ANYTHING IN New YORK police
court. The testimony OF fearful innocence
given in such places Is heard only IN
Heaven: which is Just rs well, perhaps
for il NAV Get some attention up there
However. Drane knew that Bessie had
been pleading for bin. and when Mrs
Bowers approached the Judge the prisoner
realized that some amellOratlon OF his con-
dition might be expected.
Mrs. Bowers talked earnestly with tho
magistrate, and with such good effect that
Drane was consigned 10 jenkins Retreat
ill his friends from Kansas City should ar
rive. As for the tramp he went 70 be fed
70 q certain extent.
gall cd ia evil n - va
treat" advisedly. because it certainly was
not an advance upon anything hitherto eX-
isting in that line Of business. Its exterior
had all the subdued horror of fashionable
clearinghouse where nothing .thrives but
gaunt respectability. Within 1t was even
worse. An atmosphere of "references
given and required" especially the latter,
filled the hail. and through a doorway at
The right could be seen tOmb-llke parlOr.
wherein upon the sarcOphagus of sofa sat
The rigid images of two ancient females,
evidently patients. They looked out at
Drane with cold severity that made his
hair curl.
He had come there in charge of q court
officer. aud had not been allowed TO ex-
change word with Bessie, whom Mrs.
Bowers had dragged away as soon as the
uuestion of commitment had been settled.
lie felt deserted and friendless. and de-
spite the fact that 1t was very warm eve
waiting for jenkins, Of whom the officer
had gone in search.
A large number Of entertaining and
cheerful reflections crowded upon Drane as
he stood in the dimly-lghted hall. He
wondered. forlnstance, whether straight
jacket would be regarded as an essential Of
absolutely correct evening dress in Mr..
Jenkins's retreat He also had a curiosity
20 know how often. on an average, the vio-
lent lunatIcs in the establishment over
powered their keepers and slaughtered the
less demented inmates. But. deepest and
most important of all. was the question Of
supper, for the meal which he had apprO-
priated in the bath had ceased TO give him
satisfactory support. and IL might be a
long time before no had Il chance TO steal
another.
jenkins was slow in coming, and Drane
got more and more nervous. lie had an
unusually strong natural horror of lunatics.
Not that their presence IS particularly
agreeable to anybody-except a Jenkins at
80 much q head-but Drane was actually
superstitious about IT, He had feeling
that the germs Of mania were floating in
the arr around him and that he might break
out with the disease any minute.
He wondered at being left thus alone.
A man who had been judicially decided TO
be crazy should have a keeper Then he
perceived in the shadow of the door a
large. ungainly man who seemed TO be on
watch. He stood in kind of niche. and
bad thus escaped DTanes observation when
be entered. This mans eye SO glared upon
him out of the darkness that Dranes
nerves began 10 dance in a manner that
threatened 70 fit him very quickly for per
manent occupancy Of the retreat He felt
that ne must escape from that mans OBJ
servation or relieve tho Oppressive silence
BY howl.
He compromised the matter by stepping
into the parlor. At this both the ancient
end unfortunate ladies assumed an air of
III