The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-03-22
THE POWER OF l THE IMAGINATION
fOrlglnaLl

mer house waiting for him. A man ap- proached whom recognized as one of inc attendants at the Insane asylum a few miles away.
 Have you seen anything of a young man about here who doesn't belong to the placer he asked.
 "No. What does he look llkeT
 Handsome; black hair and eyes with a glitter in them. He escaped last night"
 q haven't seen him. and don't want to-"
 If he comes. will you please tele- phone mel"
 "No. I'll hide In the attic"
 The keeper had scarcely gone when l saw man In the distance coming up the road. Great heavens! Could 1t be the Insane man? stood my ground brayely to see if he answered the de- scrlptlon till he came within discrim' mating distance. He was walking rap idly and carried suit case. To my horror he walked straight to the gate and entered. peered with all my strength of vision at his hair. It was black as night. looked at his eyes. They, too, were black and sclntlllated like pin wheels on the Fourth of July.
 "I beg. pardon" he said. raising hls hat. "Is this old oaksT'
 "No," gasped. l lied. l would have lied to an angel from heaven.
 Singular" he said, looking about him. "I surely cant have mistaken the place. I followed the main road-the only road In fact-and the gateway Is of stone. a round ball on each column" "You will find old Oaks mile down the road"
 He looked about him. every moment more bewlldered.
 "Are there two such gatewaysr he asked presently.
 "A dozen"
 My heart was beating wildly. My strained imagination showed me only \ madman who would murder me If l id not succeed fin turning him away.
 "These are the asylum grounds" l cried. "Go away at once! They are looking for you. The keeper was here this morning. He has been gone only an hour. He told me if you came to telephone him. but won't. I hope you will get away"
 By this time I had become hysterlcal and began to laugh and cry by turns. The young man looked as badly fright ened as I. He cast quick glance about him, as If for some one to take me in charge.
 His action reassurcd me. Had made mistake? looked again at his hair. this time through eyes unterrl' fled. It was auburn. | remarked his eyes. They were blue and, instead of scintlllatlng. were very mild. Mean while the man was studying me. Grad ually he came to look upon me as sane. after all. for he said:
 "I am Arthur Andrews. I was to come to old Oaks for over Sunday with my friend Tom Winslow. have evidently got into the wrong place."
 Oh, my stars, have mistaken Toms friend for a lunatlcl l would rather suffer any torture than confess my CT TOT. I must get rid of him before he discovers who am.
 "Old Oaks Is the next place to ours" I said. "Doubtlcss you will easily find 1t if you keep right on down the road" "The gateway
 "Just like ours-a ball on each post. ." "Are the columns brownstone or granite? Yours. sec. are granite"
 "Thelrs are granite too."
 Square or roundT
 To thls made TO reply. Somehow | didn't like his tone. Besides. there was no necessity Tn being SO minute.
 "Thanks." be said. "I will doubtless ind the place ! am sorry Co have dls urbcl you"
 He departed. arose. went to the ousc and shut myself up in my room.
 In tue afternoon heard Tom talking rl,h some one OF the p.aaza. looked trough the blinds and saw tEe-;hc unatic.
 rang for the maid and when she ame told Ter 10 tell my brother that l ad one or my sick headaches and would not be well tlll Monday-after De train had gone.
 Tom came to me and found me with wet cloth on my brow.
 Awful sorry. Lucy; have brought Nrthur Andrews up purpoSely to meet ;ou."
 "oh. go away. Tom! You don't know how suffer"
 The next Saturday Tom brought "the ,unatlc." as called hlm. for another sunday. Before met either of them I overheard q conversation which indi ,ated they had explained my action to their own satisfaction. l went down stairs and walked out on the piazza as cool as an Iced cucumber.
 "My friend. Arthur Andrews" said Tom. "of whom you have often heard me speak"
 "Thlnk have had the pleasure of meeting you before" said the guest milling.
 "whenT asked, with well feigned wonder.
 "A week ago today"
 "You must be mistaken. Last Sstur