The Twin City star., 1918-10-05
Anne's
Iunatic
o0
BY EILEEN OWENS
BY EILEEN OWENS
Copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure Newsp
per Syndicate.)

sssseesssssssssssssss*
Copyright. 1918. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)
Had anyone been present at q GER
tain cozy little white cottage one eve
ming In early June, they would have
seen Anne Whitney going from room
to room, barring all the windows and
fastening all the doors. One might
wonder why Anne was so very eau
tiOusly sealing up her abode; one
might even suspect Anne of being
afraid, but that was not the case. Anne
Whitney was absolutely and uncondi-
tiOnally alone, for her housekeeper, the
good Mrs. Mather, had been called
away suddenly by the death of her
brother and Anne's cottage was nearly
five miles from the village proper. This
was sufficiently disturbing, but add to
this the fact that she had seen that
very afternoon a notice stating that
certain inmate of nearby insane asy-
lum had escaped-a very dangerous in
mate for whose return five hundred
dollars was offered, and Anne would
no longer seem timid person, but in
stead firm advocate Of preparedness.
This was the second summer that
Anne had come to Oakdale, the tiny vii
lage tucked away in the hills, away
from the hustling, bustling city, where
she drew clever illustrations for a GER
tain pOpular magazine.
Anne could not help feeling a trifle
wary, but she went to bed early and
soon fell asleep.
Some time later-it must have been
near three o'clOck-she was awakened
by loud shout. She sat up in bed.
A moments silence and then a con-
fused shouting and scuffling, then a
thud as Of a body falling, and once
mOre-silence.
Memories Of acts Of insane people
rushed through her mind in quick sue
cession and she trembled violently.
Finally summoning together all her
courage she slipped from the bed and
looked out the window. To her utter
relief she saw nothing at all alarming.
"Could it have been a dreamT' Anne
questioned herself. Then, as once more
she crept into bed, she concluded that
1t had been a nightmare, evidently
brought on by her distressing thoughts
of lunatics, whereupon she promptly
fell asleep and did not waken until the
bright morning sunshine was stream
ing in on her face.
She rose quickly and, still fearful Of
the lunatic's proximity, she decided to
spend the day on the lake. So hastily
packing lunch and taking a new
book, she went down to the boathouse.
Humming little tune, she opened the
door, and then her heart skipped a
beat or two, for there, Lying full length
on the floor, was a man who seemed to
be asleep.
The lunatic And dangerous one at
that!
He wore the conventional garb of an
inmate of the asylum, but even in her
fright Anne noticed that he still wore
silk socks and good looking shoes. She
couldn't see his face very we'll, for the
shadows were striking it and left it in
semi-darkness. BY this time Anne was
trembling all over. What should she
do?
Just then she spied the old rifle
hanging on the wall and, without know
ing why, she reached over and picked
it up.
But her act awakened the sleeping
man and Anne felt her heart slip
slip until it seemed to settle down in
her heels. For the man, with a dazed
look in his eyes, sprang up and was
about to rush out when he was halted
by Anne's rather tremulous call,
"Hands up!"
Anne, who had never seen a lunatic
before, much less captured one, did
not know whether he would compre-
hend the term, but apparently he did,
for slowly withdrawing a step or two,
he raised his hands.
The lunatic was tall and we'll proper
toned. He had light, wayy hair which
was now sadly disarranged, his eyes
were deep blue, and as they regarded
Anne's frightened face behind the ugly
rife, they lighted up appreciatively.
Altogether Anne's lunatic was very
likeable young man and wave Of pity
swept over her as she thought Of his
afflictiOn. Possibly he was insane only
at intervals, and this might be one Of
his rational periods. Fervently hoping
her surmise was correct Anne told him
to sit down, which he did, inquiring,
ITO what must I be grateful for the
pleasure of your company?"
Anne did not reply, but shifted the
rifle to more menacing position, and
thought, IF only can hold him here
until some one goes by and come to
help me-" What should she do If he
became violent? Anne did not know.
The, lunatic, seated on a low box on
the floor, still looked somewhat mysti-
fed, and said to Anne, "Will you kindly
foil mo uhv T am hainp kopt priSOnpr