San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-11-02

Green?'
Reinstatement surprised me. The ques-
ton set me to thinking. | ordered the
attendant to notify Mrs. Green, and re-
turned instantly to my room. soon
saw the attendant speak to the woman
waiting on the lawn and re-enter the
house. Mrs. Green did not return to
her room. She stood by the fountain
fully five minutes, as if in thought, and
then went to the street gate and re-
manned there. In two minutes time
stood at the cJrner Of the building peer
ing down the SIDE street toward the lawn.
The street is a quiet one at all times.
That night there appeared to be less life
upon it than usual. A few people were
passing up and down, but saw no one
either at the gate or lettering in its vi
cinity.
l was not satisfied l had heard the
hour of nine named. l decided to keep
the place in sight until that time. l did
not believe in the good faith of the mes
sage left for Mrs. Green Now you know
why | waited.
To remain where | was was to attract
attention if any visitor came from the
south. | crossed the street and strolled
along the pavement opposite the asylum.
No one stood at the gate as passed it.
Nothing suspicious was observable.
At the next corner, as | turned west
| to cross the street to the asylum side,
was nearly run down by pair of spir-
tied horses attached to close carriage
which was being driven south at u most
| reckless speed.
The wheels of the carriage brushed
my skirts as it swept by, and | stopped
for moment to watch its progress down
the street. AS did so it reached apoint
nearly opposite the lawn gate, and the
horses were pulled down to a slow walk,
| which was maintained through the rest
of the block.
At the corner the vehicle came to a
bait and a man sprang out noticed
that he was too heavily wrapped for the
temperature of the night. If had re-
manned at my first point of observation
should have met him face to /. as he
| reached the pavement He talked
briSkly up the street to the gate, shook
it with what seemed to me to be very
muscular hand and passed on.
Then | made miserable mistake. In
stead of retracing my steps and watch
ing him unseen, walked faster so that
might meet him. My excuse is that /
desired to be sure as to the identity of
| the man. If it turned out to be Mr..
Richard Melville his mission there
would be beyond a doubt, although |
| did not like The idea Of his being there
I i'll spite of the message he had left. II
| it turned out to be an unknown man his
strange conduct would serve to put me
on my guard. Private asylums some
times have strange experiences. | have
had patients in my charge before now
in whose liberty meddleSome people
evinced Il most troublesome interest.
But that is neither here nor there.
When passed the man | could not be
certain whether or not it was Richard
Melville. But Of one thing | am posi-
tive. Ny patient was nowhere i'll sight
as passed the lawn gate This circum-
stance quoted my fears to some extent.
Whoever the stranger was, he became
suspicious on account Of my being there
Perhaps he saw that | was watching
him. Perhaps h. recognized me as be-
longing to the asylum. did not see a
signal given, but one certainly was given.
for just then the person in charge of the
carriage struck the horses sharply with
the whip In moment the equipage
was out Of sight.
reached my room in no pleasant
frame of mind, you may be sure. If the
man | had seen was Richard Melville
had nothing to fear but my patients
peace of mind. If it was not Richard
Melville, reasoned, | had some I'M
known conspiracy to contend with. |
believed, however, that on account of
the evident detection Of the scheme &c
summon some one to the gate by the
signal given no further mischief would
be attempted that night.
Shortly after reaching my room an at
tendant came to make her final report
for the night. At the door she turned
back, and saw by her manner that she
had something on her mind. | told her
to speak, and she came to the point at
once.
Il have just come from the lawn gate,
she began. Il don like the way people
have been hanging about there today.
Once suspected trampish looking fel,
low of tampering with the lock and
ordered him away. | have had my eye
on the place all the evening, but nothing
unusual has occurred. Mrs. Green was
on the lawn until short time ago, but
she went to her room at once when
mentioned the matter to her. The gate
o,,l - a Ioo,. ura cac,,ra6 nc ,Cuol on6 |