New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-11

"But-but" I cried helpIessly. this was quite
young girl She was not twenty
Mrs. Portingdale," said my aunt, holding. is
Just twenty. She was married six months ago
There IS no other young woman there"
These measured words struck me with dumb
ness Aunt Esther looked at my face with IN
creasing surprise, and seemed just about 10 ask
q question when noisy interruption took place
The front door bell was rung with an alarming
cI8ng, Clang. clang, eloquent Of haste and
genCy, We heard the hOusemaid running TO the
door and then there was a sound Of voices
We listened and waited, my aunt in surprise,
myself in growing guilt and fear.
In moment the hoUsemaid knocked and en-
tered If you please, maarn- she said eNcit-
eddy, Mr.. PortIngdales compliments. and can
you run over to see Mrs. P0rJiugiale2 She has
had a fright in the garden, and fainted"'
Ny aunt rose in agitation, but she was not the
one TO delay a Kindness for the sake Of asking
questions.
Dear me! dear me-" she said in distress 1T
must have been the thupder. Ask the girl TO
wait Mary. and III go back with her
The messenger was taken TO the kitchen. tC
tell her story at greater length while Aunt
Esther hurried upstairs for her bonnet and
mantle Five minutes later she came down
again. and left the house with the girl As soon
as she had disappeared / went TO ind the house
maid.
Mary" I said hastily what did the girl tel.
YOU What Is wrong with Mrs. PortingdaIe?"
And Mary told me. pleased to find an Interested
listener. The first part of the story was exactly
as I expected to find il. Mrs. Portingdale had
gone to the summer house because IF the tnun-
derstorrn and had taken couple Of books with
her The heavIness If the air had given her q
headache, and she had closed her eyes for a
while 10 rest them. Presently a slight sound
had disturbed her and. looking up, she had
seen 4 most terrifying sight
1t was Iunatic sir" said Mary, sitting on
the wall. and looking round the garden so eager
and ferceIikc il made the poor Iady's blood
run cold to see him. She knew al once that he
must have escaped from the Blessing Asylum.
because he was d strange face, and such things
IS happening continually. 80 she smut her eye
fast knowing as her only chance was 10 pre-
tend 10 be asleep. Then ne got down off the
wall. and came and stared At her for ever SO
long. she almost dying Of fear Il must nave
been awful Then she peeped again between
her eyeIashas, and there was the mailman grin
ming sillvlike over her books. After that ne
was still 50 long that she expected every second
that he would spring at her, but he didn't
What do you think ne did, slr2'
Who knows I gasped, falsely and painfully.
We'll. sir, he-kissed herr" Mary blUshed at
that point. even in her excitement Fancy be
ing kissed 10y a lUnatiC. II sent cold shIvers all
through the poor woman. ana indeed il must
q finger Then there was quiet SO long that
she made bold to peep again, and 10 and be
away, and didn't come 70 until ner husnaha
found her, and after she had told them all
about it she had another faint So. Mr.. Port
iugdale sent round for our mistress to go there
once. And that's all I know about II, SIT
Il was quite sufficient I dismissed Mary. and
sat down IN a state OF mind when II IS lhlpos-
sible TO describe. A married woman! l pom
deTed u hastily 7 had been a lunatc, inueeu-
Perhaps al that very moment the poor woman
was giving d full and accurate description OF
my person 10 an inspector Of police and TO my
appalled, Aunt Esther,
I sprang from the chair and rushed to my
room. I have packed quickly on various oc-
CasiOns. but never SO quickly as did TINS time.
An omnibus passed the door once in every nan
hour. and I watched from my window for It's
appearance at the head of the road When IL
came in sight ran downstairs with my oaS III
my hand.
Mary was the only one to see me go left
her with q confused impression that an urgent
= *
had taken place in my department at the Cen
eral POstOfice Before she could utter a cues
ton I had passed the outer gates and hailed the