The Red Cloud chief., 1901-05-10

mOSt cramp, " on
through lying still for so long I'm the
same attitude. And I hardl, dared to
move I'm any way to ease myself for
fear OF waking the loathsome creature.
At length q pale line OF light appeared
on the wall opposite to me. and as II
gradually increased in brilliancy and
dimensions ] was able 10 distinguish
first various objects about the room.
and then the hidcous thing on the be-
At first, of course, II was only an in
distinct mass. but as the light grew
and II became more clearly visible the
horrible truth was forced upon me. I
had been attempting to steel myself
for the revelation, and was expecting
I might see a wolf. n baboon, or even
n bear, but In my widest imaginings I
had never dreamed Of the possibility
Of this! Merciful heavens. what should
what could ] 40?
The shock OF the awful discovery
overcamc me completely. I was Pc.
fectly paralyzed with fear. and every
other sense was numbed for the time
being. / lay thus in n half -fainting
condition. until the sound - oh. how
~unspeakably welcome!-of the key in
the lock reused me to action. sprang
from the bed. and. rushing from the
room. almost knocking over the maid
as I did so. dragged the door to, scream
ing. Lock IL. on. lock it, and fell in.
sensible at her feet.
The rest of this narrative | did not
learn till some months afterward. The
did as | told her, and then ran for help.
I was carried to the house. where |
received the prompt care and attention
of q doctor who was numbered among
the guests.
He said that I must have received a
very severe shock; OF what nature he
was. of course. unable to say. He ex-
pressed grave fears as to what the eff
feet might be on my brain, and or
dered that l was to kept absolutely
quiet. and on no account to be ques.
toned In any way.
Thus all chance OF finding out the
cause from me was effcctually put n
stop to. The only way that remained
was to in%terrogatc the ervant. She
was sent for. and eagerly detailed the
little that she knew, with the result
that II was resolved to go and examine
the room. Colonel Chudleigh. accom-.
panied by several OF the other gentle
men, Immediately set off for the pur-
pose. AS they were crossing the lawn
| they observed two men I'm uniform
searching among the shrubs and
bushes.
On catching sight of the Colonel they
Immediately came forward and ex-
| planned that they were looking for a
| dangerous lunatic who had escaped
from the Elmersield Asylum two days
| before. They had been beating the
| whole countryside, but their efforts
| had so far been fruitless. They had
| thought it just possible he might have
| entered these grounds and concealed
| himself somewhere. but as they had
| found no trace of him such was evil
| IDENTIFY not the case. At this point one
| of the gentlemen suddenly exclaimed,
Look in the summcr-house.' The
whole party hurried thither, the door
was unfastened. and sure enough tie
dangerous maniac was found there!
He was secured after a desperate
struggle. in which he succeeded In
wounding one of the keepers with a
knife (how and from whence procurea!
remains a mystery, but he was ulti'
mately safely taken back to the asy'
lum.
In course of time | got better, hut II
was years before l quite recovered
from the horrors of the night ! spen'
locked up with what proved to be Q
homicidal maniac.-Thc Wide World
Magazine. = '~,;a's,- -igssel1s