The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-08-29
NUMBER 70

strange that they both SO markedly pre-
kferred the company of the sanitarium
people to that of their fellow unfortu-
Mates The young house doctor thought
Miss Tracy charming and never was
| abrupt with her when she sought him
in his office. as he was compelled to be
for self protection with some who
wanted to see him half dozen times Q
day.
VERY puzzling case" he mused
recent death? 1t seems to excite her
too. That's morbidity, I'm afraid; bad
| sign"
The doctor liked St John too. St.
Johns friends acted very nicely In
sending him new books and boxes Of
cigars. The books were wen chosen;
the cigars were unexceptionable.
Like all these paretics," he pondered,
'in the first stages you would not think
there was anything much wrong with
the man, but it is little singular that
he should be so interested in that un-
lucky death also"
As for the attendants, Miss Tracy
had flowers and little things and could
teach the women quite a number Of
new fads in hairdressing and SO forth.
For the men st. Johns cigar box and
full pocketbook sufficed to make them
extremely courteous. The man with the
wicked eyes and mouth benefited most,
however. 1t was wonderful what q lot
Of little things he could do for Miss
Tracy. 1t was strange that St John
should find anything in the man to talk
about with common interest
Just once the two lunatics met It
was just before, bedtime in the music
room. He had sung to her accompani-
ment- When she rose to say good
night. he almost whispered to her:
Il expect to go to New York tomor-
row."
Il am 30 glad for your sake" she
said.
"And-and you-you have made my
stay almost tolerable. Is there nothing
you will allow me to do for your"
"Oh," she answered, with sprightii-
ness, Il shall not be long in going my
self"
Poor. poor little dear" he said to hfs
pillow, 'ft breaks me all up to think
OF her staying here incurable."
Miss Tracy packed her trunk, and
tears dropped on silk and linen indif-
ferently.
"Oh." she murmured, II do 20 wish
1 had never come here. l can never,
never forget the sad, gentle way he
used to look at me-"
There was lively work next after
noon in the building of The Gazette. A
young man sat at a desk apart In the
reporters room. and he scribbled and
he scribbled. By and by the managing
editor came in and looked over the
busy writer's shoulder and told him
that he had only an hour to finish up
in Then the great presses began to
clatter. and in little while the first
edition Of The Gazette was ready for
the street. with an enormous black
scare head on the front page.
And in the Office of The Morning
Jury there was also a very lively bus
Ting. and there, at a retired desk, q
young. woman sat. and she scribbled
and she scribbled. and late at night the
presses began to rumble. and in a lit
tie while the first edition Of The Jury
was ready for the street, with an enor-
nous black scare head on the front
page.
The Gazette and The Jury were with
I'm a few minutes Of each other in get
ting out. A copy Of each paper was
hustled into the Office of the other, for
} rival editors watch each others work
with catlike intentness. And the Ga
zette Office read with dismay that the
great asylum mystery had been solved
by the indefatigable efforts Of a Jury
reporter. while The Jury night stan
tore its editorial hair over the f1aring
boast of The Gazette that its special
commissioner had given to a waiting
world the first and only enlightenment
Of the famous crime. There had been
no time for one paper to lift the news
from the other. How had the expected
scoop been spoiled?
Tumultuous was the wrath In the
two Offices. Miss Tracy was explain
ing to her managing editor. with tears
in her eyes, that she could not under
stand at all, at all, how The Gazette
had got hold of 1t. In The Gazette of
flee Mr. st. John stormed and swore
and said that for the life Of him he
, 4
had got almost the same story.
Good heavensr' shouted St John
!. suddenly, and he dashed out to The
Jury Office. There he found q friend,
with whom he conferred. The two
lunatics were introduced to each other
and minute or two afterward were
alone together.
They laughed a great deal at the
idea of two reporters on the same
strange assignment never suspecting
each other. but their laugh was not
very loud. The tender pity for each
other of yesterday was still in. mind.
. "The attendant is arrested" said st.
John. You did not get 1t quite right.
The patient he poisoned when nursing
him was an old enemy. 1t was not
done through trouble arising between
them In the sanitarium."
'Oh, botherw she said. 'It doesn't
matter. We've done our appointed
. work. Let's talk of something more
pleasant"
So they did. and when he was about
to go away he said:
"You said once we might be friends
} in the world as well as out of the
7 world. VIII we be friends, dear Miss
Tracy?"
She looked at him so smilingly, yet
SO tremblingly. that he put his arm
/ | around her.
"win you be more than friend, dar-
t ling?" he whispered.
d YES" she said, and it was quite five
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