Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-09


at the glen. but the lawyer was a
Sherlock Holmes in bis way. He
looked about and found fragments OF
her wardrobe sticking to the rails OF
fence she had climbed. and, leaving
the horse and buggy :nd enthusiastic
ally followed by Auburn Hair. he chung
TO the trail until the clearing was
Reached.
That's her. exclaimed Auburn
Hair as she pointed TO Miss Irene and
smiled wickedly.
If the lawyer hadn't been lawyer
he would have advanced and seized
the guilty party and thrown her over
his shoulder and started for the bug
gy. but lawyers don't rush in where
angels fear to tread Here were two
females. Indeed, with Auburn Hair.
there We're three.
He hadn't description of the es-
capped patient He had been told she
Vas "youngish' female. The three
We're .youngish.'' 1t might be any
one of them.
1t might be the one who had given
him the Information. Insane people
are cunning and up to all sorts of
tricks
well. why don't you take herr" de-
manded Auburn Hair maliciOusly.
''Sir. what does this mean?" asked
Miss Irene as she drew herself up.
Sir. what does this meanT' asked
the strange lady as she did likewise.
''Why--why." Stammered the lawyer.
lone of you has escaped from the asy-
lum at BellvilIe. am here to ask you
to return with me- You shall have Il
nice ride in my buggy. and if you are
very quiet I'll let you drive the horse.
The asylum is nice place. you know
nice place. It's homelike and nice
very -and-and'-
It's her. repeated Auburn Hair.
pointing again TO Miss Irene as the
confused lawyer looked from one to
another.
You are the one.' sternly aud trag-
ically whispered the strange lady as
she pointed at the auburn haired girl
in turn.
by George. BY George gasped the
lawyer as lie rubbed the back of his
head.
The pose lasted sixty seconds: then
the lawyer rallied his wits. Auburn
less She must be the one who had es-
capped and she must be taken back.
Now. then. he very quiet and very
NICE he said i'm a soothing way as he
took her hand. You are going home.
you know. You are going where every
one loves you. If you are good and
nice you shall have a Teddy bear to
right along. Perhaps you two ladies
wouldn't mind accompanying us until
we reach the buggy"
The tables had been turned on poor
little Auburn Hair. but she was no tim
i'd fawn despite her very evident good
looks. She scratched, aud as he de-
| Tended himself us best he could the
strange lady rose up and clasped Miss
Irene in her arms and went dancing
around and singing and laughing.
| The four were found thus when an
| attendant of the asylum rushed iutO
| the clearing and advanced to exclaim:
Good heavens, Only one escaped,
| and here are four
| 1t took five minutes to straighten
| out the taDsie. The strange lady was
| the escaped patient. OF course Auburn
| Hair had got the worst of it all around
and she was the first one To go. She
was game. but she knew when she was
| wOrSted.
When the lawyer and the girl from
| the city had been left alone he made
his address TO the jury. 1t was up t.
him to make it hummer" He asked
| the jury TO remember that he had new
er hunted escaped lunatics before. thai
he knew nothing about jealousy and
auburn haired girls. that he was onl!
doing his duty aud that if he was
brought in guilty suicide was the only
thing left him. The jury listened ant
| replied:
You are forgiven this time. but dom
| you ever take me for lunatic again
You may take me home"
| In driving down the byroad they haj
| To pass the widows house. The au
burn haired daughter was at the gat,
and waiting for them.
They looked straight ahead. as if she
We're not on earth, but as they came
| opposite she called out:
>"Oh. it's a case of love at first sight
is it? Well. I'll send each of you q
| Teddy bear tomorrow"
| Some courtships have had their be
ginning under still more unfavorabl,
circumstances and ended most happily
That's what this one did