The Portland daily press., 1892-10-19

boxed in any case.
After reading few mere bits of news
in the paper began to feol sleepy. SO
got up to go to bed-nrst, however
going around the house to see that all
Was locked up and secure, and that Ben
son, who was sleeping for the time being
in one of the attics, had not forgotten to
put the kitchen lamp out, which some
times he did.
The window Of my room was wide
open and Il lovely fresh breeze came
blowing in. sat down on the bed for
minute or two to enjoy it. A nice IN
vitation for an enterprising burglar,
thought, if it We're known there was
anything worth stealing about the
house. He could be up the trelliswork
in half minute. Then the escaped
lunatic, too; it might have afforded
shelter to him if closely pursued. Thus
musing, L slipped off my things prepare
tory to getting into bed, but before do
ing so there was duty L had to per-
form and which always had done since
| slept in the house.
There was a door leading from my
room into kind of dressing room,
which was sometimes opened during the
day for various purposes and in front OF
which curtain was rugged up. Being
naturally rather timid. [ always used to
see that this door was properly locked
and the space under my bed untenanted
ere settled down to slumber.
Taking up the candle, made my way
across the room to the door, but when
within couple of yards or so Of it /
came to dead halt. The paragraph l
had read in the paper seemed to whirl
through my brain, and for the moment
l had hard work to keep myself from
collapsing ON to the floor.
The l1natic at the time Of his escape
was attired in a morning suit of black,
and wearing dancing pumps! was
startled, l can tell you, but not without
reasonr-for peeping out below the cur
tain which covered the door were the
toes AID half the feet of a pair of patent
leathse boots! | regained my composure
gradually, and moved away back to-
ward the bed, but keeping my eye on
the curtain the whole time.
Who knew but that the lunatic might
have been watching me through a pin
hole in the curtain, and, conjecturing
the place of his concealment had been
discovered, make rush at me? But no.
He evidently was ignorant of dis
cavery, for the feet remained tn mo-
tionless.
What was l to do? Here l was in a
room by myself, within five yards of a
mailman, standing feet 2 inches in his
socks, whom under ordinary circunl-
stances it would take couple or three
men to tackle and satisfactorily dispose
Of shuddered as thought of it.
I mentally measured whereabouts his
head would be behind the curtain, and
casting my eyes around the room, to my
icy they rested ON a pair of Indian clubs
I was in the habit Of exercising with in
tie morning. That was my surest
chance.
moved casually across to where the
clubs were standing, and taking them
UP commenced to occupy myself with a
few of the exercises to work up steam
for the coming blow. Now or never!
Suddenly dropping one of the clubs on
the bed as [ brought it around, with the
other made for the door and directed
it with all my strength at where | sup
posed the head of the mailman to be.
Crash! fell forward against the cur
tain after the blow, and commenced
striking out savagely with my fist to fol-
1ox tho or 1.fa5v, viii n
Jun, and the brass rod with it, strik-
ing me on the head and completely stun
ming me.
It must have been peculiar sight as
Benson saw it, when he came tumbling
down the stairs to see what all the row
YVES about. There was | Oh the floor
enyeloped in the curtain, bleeding from
a wound above the temple, knuckles cut
and bruised and panel of the door at
the back smashed in by a blow that
wo:1ld have pulverized half a dozen
lunatics had they been there.
''The mad man-he's escaped!' l
managed to gasp, sitting up among the
wreck.
'The 90, sir?" anxiously asked Ben
son, helplng 1ne up duu leaolhS me W
ward the basin in order to battle my
injured head.
ssMad-m behind the curtain. Got
in at the window-escaped from Brad
ley asylum last night during the ball.
Wearing patent leather boots-saw them
under the CURTAIN" jerked out spas
medically.
sSaw is what?e cried Benson, drop
ping the sponge he was holding and re-
garding me with amaze1nent.
ellis patent leather boots, man, peep
ing out from beneath the curtain
Benson seemed to jump in the air at
that.
"Gor luminy, mister; them weren't a
mailman! Them was your moo uns as
came this morning. | puts 'en behind
the curtain there so as to keep out the
dust an muck. Oh, Lor', sir, you hev
made a mistake"
By Jove, and hadn't just, and dis
figured myself for a month or so in the
bargain.
There was no doubt about it, for from
the folds of the curtain were shaken my
now nail, of nurnDs which had arrived