The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1892-08-04

"IIere is a chance to earn your
dresses" he said. "See here ~
"Fifty dollars reward for the cap
ture-or information leading to the
capture-of Harry Wainlee. an insane
gentleman who escaped from the
Trenton asylum OIL Monday, and is
supposed TO have taken the road to
Linton. Said patient is five feet
eight, young, with dark hair and eyes;
is clean shaven. with the exception of
a heavy dark moustache. Not violent
or dangerous unless contradicted or
excited"
"Well," qucried May, as her brother
paused, chow will that help us"'
"Catch him." replied Mr. Chaplin
laconically.
"Oh" replied May, with moro than
a hint of sarcasm in her tone, ~ did
not think of that; | wonder / did not
think Of it'll"
The conversation soon turned upon
the expected journey, and the escaped
patient was not mentioned again until
Mr.. and Mrs. Chaplin were leaving
home the next morning.
"You arc not afraid to stay alone,
are you, May?" asked Mrs. Chaplin.
II am not alone" replied May.
"Bridget is in the kitchen, and there
are ncighbors almost within call. Be-
sides, what could happen?"
"The patient from the asylum might
CALL" replied Mrs. Chaplin.
May Chaplin laughed. I would
much rather see him than Harry Bris-
ton," she said.
"What did l say that for?" she said
half aloud as she watched them drive
away. "I am afraid of that man
and / do not want to see Harry Bris-
ton, but l can't stay here like piece
of goods in shop window. and
Frank ought to know it,"
Later Bridget came with pitiful
story. Her mother was sick, could
she go to her for one hour? And in
the kindness of her heart Miss Chaplin
hurried away and bade hor stay until
night. Then as the gate banged be-
hind Bridget's substantial figure, and
Miss Chaplin realized that she was
really alone, she locked every door in
the house.
But as the hours dragged by and
nothing occurred, she grew weary of
the stiffness of the house. and unlock
ing side door, stepped into tho gar
don. She was bending over a rose
bush when the click of the gate
aroused her; she looked up and grew
pale.
A young man of twenty-five, or
thereabouis, was approaching. Even
in her sudden alarm Miss Chaplin felt
a thrill of pity for the intruder.
1t was too sad that one SO young
and handsome should be insane; for
she had no doubt the man before her
was the escaped lunatic, the man that
had kept her in fear all day. A gen
tleman evidently. and the advertisement
had described him well. But when
his dark eyes met her own she could
scarcely believe that the light of reason
had fled. Magnetic eyes they were,
that drew her thought into words be-
fore their owner had uttered sem
tcncc.
"I-I-have been expecting you all
day" she faltered.
A look of surprise came into the
gcntleman's face.
May noticed the change in his ex-
prA sion.
"Oh, DEAR" she thought, "perhaps
ought not to have said that, l am
afraid he doesn't like it. must say
something else." She hesitatcd and
coughed.
"Of course, Pm glad to SEQ you,"
she began. "Frank, my brother, was
telling me all about you this morning.
How handsome and nice you were,
and all that. you know" she added
hastily, fearing that he might. with
the cunning of the insane, guess tho
purport of her brothers communica-
ton.
The gentleman stood gravely re-
garding her; he did not look danger
Gus, and the great wave of pity that
swept over the girls heart sent the
tears to her heart. If she could but
secure him in some way-not for the
reward no such unworthy mOtiVe