The Holbrook news., 1911-05-26

What is it-what do you msanH-
 demanded MT. Scott.
 Just this, sir. This lady has es-
 caped from the Glendale insane
 asylum and must be returned. She iG
 as crazy as loon and her brother has
 had to have her shut up. Please don't
 interfere with us."
 Don't let them take mel" walled
 the woman. There is some awful
 mistake. was never in the asylum.
 Protect me, sir-protect mel"
 Certainly I will protect you,' re- piled MT. Scott. Now, sir, you must identify yourself I want to see your papers. You can't grab hold of peo- pie in this arbitrary way in this coun- try"
 Later on MT. Scott remembered that 1t was the widow who suggested that they leave the train and enter the depot and talk the matter over. It was a case of mistaken identity, she assert ed. She had papers with her to prove that her name was Taylor and not French, and that after she had sub mitted them she should expect the >~-OS$ oOJCCI 6POAO6y. OAO WO0A0A leave the train, however, unless MT. Scott accompanied her and saw the af- fair through. It had never been sus- pected in Templeton that MT. Scott was cavalier, and that was where they had wronged him. He promptly responded to the widows appeal and in three minutes the five people were consulting in the waiting room. The papers were not produced. After the train had departed the widow remem- bered that they were in her trunk.
 MT. Scott also remembered later on that 1t was the widow who suggested that the five drive to the insane asy- lum, two miles away. In one minutes time the superintendent would an- nounce that he never saw her before, Then there would be an apology and suit for damages besides. The three strange men were ready to adopt her suggestion, but she refused to take the drive unless Mir. Scott went along al her guardian and protector. MT. Scott had never been charged with protect ing anybody but himself, and that at the rate of seven per cent, but a new side of his nature was being revealed now. He would cheerfully go along and would just as cheerfully see the trio sent to prison for their criminal blunder. It didn't strike him az at all curious that a three-seated carriage was in waiting. Indeed, his attention was so divided between the widow and his satchel that he wasn't observ- ant of small things.
 T am so sorry to trouble you" whispered the widow as she laid hand on his arm, but what would have happened to me but for a noble man like you! In one minute after we drive up this humiliating mystery will be solved. I do not think I can for give these men. I think you will have to help me to make them pay dearly for this blunder. Why, whose wife or daughter is safe when she travels?"
 E Mir. Scott and the widow occupied the middle seat. Two of the men sat behind them, and the third occupied the drivers seat and handled the reins. When the carriage had gone a mile from the depot it turned off the main highway into a blind road The bank l president was about to ask a question | or two not connected with finance when he received a crack on the head | from behind and daylight suddenly | turned into darkness. When he opened | his eyes again the sun was still shin ing and the woodpeckers pecking, but | he was lying among the brush and | leaves and that precious satcheI was not to be seen. His head pained and ached and be felt woozy, but it didn't | take him over five minutes to figure 1t | out that he had been buncoed. He crawled out to the highway and got a lift to the village, and there he made the telephone hum and the constables sit up and think, but up to date the law has not succeeded in laying it's hands on the three men, the widow and the $20,000. The citizens of Tem- pleton could find a moral in the iaf. fair if they would only look for it, but they won't look. They are too busy winking and grinning and say ing to each other that they wish they could come across as easy mark. In his position as president of the First National Mir. Scott makes a trip to the city now and then, but the sharpers pass him by for another game. They realize that no more appealing voices at his elbow can strike a responsive chord, and that the victim of woman's wiles has frozen up for good.